New Romantics
by heroherondaletotherescue
Summary: AU mini-series of short stories to accompany my Fight or Flight series. Barry/OC Disclaimer: I do not own the TV series The Flash or any of their characters, only my own OC and creative genius.
1. New Romantics

New Romantics

Lights of periwinkle blue and green jasmine, twinkled in the distance, dancing across the midnight sky, as the pre-midnight fireworks popped, and exploded in the air, bringing colour and life to the cold night.

It was NYE, and they were finally moving into 2020. It was also the fifth anniversary of her partnership with Barry Allen. Not in the romantic sense at least. Sophia Lang and Barry Allen, two of the finest detectives that Central City had seen in half a decade. They were the talk of the town, and the special guests on tonight's list. They had just completed a generous raid on The Rogues of Central City, bringing Leonard Snart and Mick Rory into custody after a drawn out battle.

Sophia stood on the balcony of the expensive hotel that the CCPD's New Year's Eve Gala was held at. She hadn't seen Barry all night, knowing that the Gala only started at 11 and would end at 2. It was unusual yes, but considering the main attraction was the midnight fireworks, it wasn't too bad. She had wanted to arrive with Barry as planned, but he had mentioned that he had a few things to tie up, down at the CCPD, so she had made her way to the Gala by herself, feeling slightly bummed that she was entering alone. But nevertheless, she had gone to a lot of effort to look as dazzling as possible. The sapphire blue dress that was draped elegantly across her body complimented her golden brown eyes, making them pop, and the dark coal eye-liner that was paired with golden shadow's on her eyelids made them stand out even more. Her lips were painted a delicate berry colour, looking plump and healthy, and as Barry Allen admired her from across the room, his eyes having been drawn there immediately. He had just arrived, and it was nearing midnight. Upon walking into the room, he had scanned the crowd for her beautiful face, only to be met with an alluring sight that had his heart pumping faster.

Barry Allen had been in love with Sophia Lang since the day he met her, five years ago. They had been new graduates from the academy, paired up immediately to work under Detective Joe West. At first, Barry had thought it was simple attraction or lust. They were both graced with delicate features, and were easy on the eyes, so that had to stand for something. But after a while, the sizzling attraction had developed into something deeper, something stronger and more potent. It had been a fateful day, two years down the track when he had discovered this. In between all the flirting, and the sly comments, he knew deep down that something was brewing between the two, but neither said a word or addressed the elephant in the room. They just continued on like everything was normal. At least, they did until that day.

They had been out on patrol, sitting side by side in the poorly heated van, with beanies and layers of jumpers on as they sat on watch, waiting for one of the gang members in the casino across the road to make the wrong move. Something had happened, things had escalated and suddenly the two found themselves in a shoot-out with at least six Irish gang members, and only each other as back-up on the outskirts of Central City. Back-up was at least a good twenty minutes away, and they needed to act fast. They had been decisive and quick in their actions and they had managed to take them all out, but not at least before injuring themselves. A bullet was headed straight for Barry's neck, and Sophia could see the shot before it was fired, she knew that she wouldn't have time to warn him to move out of the way, so she dove and tackled him from behind, pushing him to the concrete ground, the bullet hitting her shoulder blade as she collapsed on the ground.

He remembered that day clearly. The amount of blood she had lost, the way she whimpered in pain as he hoisted her in his arms, rushing her over to the nearest ER. The way her eyes had slowly dropped, and how pale her complexion looked as all the blood drained from her face. She had saved his life, and if that didn't make him love her any more than he already did, it had just reminded him of the dangerous lifestyle they led. It was that day he knew, how utterly terrified he was of losing her. It made him realise that whatever he was feeling for her, wasn't just attraction, or admiration… it was love. God damn, love. But he knew that with their responsibilities, with their job, the risk of losing her, or vice versa was just too grand, and so he buried his feelings deep into his chest, but three years later, his heart was threatening to burst every time he saw her. He couldn't contain it any longer. He didn't want to live like this.

So as he stood there, from across the ballroom, gazing at her form as she closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath outside, he knew that this was the perfect time. He had to tell her. He ached to tell her. He took a deep breath, tightening his black tie, and making sure that his suit was in place, before walking out the large doors and onto the quiet balcony, the light buzz of the ballroom, fluttering over to their ears, but giving enough silence to allow them to have a conversation.

"Barry," Sophia said with a smile, turning around to face him. "You're looking particularly handsome tonight," She complimented, her eyes trailing over his long, lean form unapologetically. Her heart was starting to race at the very sight of him. Barry Allen always looked dapper in a suit, not to mention black tie. She hoped that he didn't notice her obvious ogling, but after her eyes rested on his, she found that he too had taken the opportunity to allow her appearance to sink in. A small grin started to appear on her face, but she didn't say a word.

"Thank you. You look as beautiful as ever. Has anyone ever told you that sapphire is your colour?" He asked. She looked absolutely breathtaking tonight, more beautiful in the moonlight than he had ever seen her before.

"It might have come up once, or twice," Sophia laughed lightly, turning and leaning her body against the balcony now, her back slightly facing Barry, who took the moment to appreciate the backless dress, trying not to think about the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra right now.

"So what brings you out here, Allen?" Sophia asked, her eyes focused on the night sky. Oh how she ached to able to fly through the clouds, the experience seemed so serene and breathtaking, she was beginning to wish that there was such thing as superpowers. The pre-midnight fireworks had just gone off a good ten minutes prior, and it wasn't long until it was the New Year… and she would still be alone.

"You," Barry stated simply, causing her to turn back around to face him, trying not to let out a gasp of surprise at the close distance.

"Me?" She questioned, trying her very best to keep her eyes focused on his, but every few seconds they would trail down to his supple lips, desperate to close the distance. She had been in love with him for the last five years, and she never built up the courage to act on it, or to even tell him how she felt, and every day she regretted her decision.

"I've been trying to find the perfect way to say it, to tell you how I feel, how you make me feel, but I know that there are no words to describe how _you_ make me feel, Sophia," Barry confessed, taking her smooth hands in his own, rubbing circles on the back of them. He could feel her pulse as he held her hand, and he was glad to know that it wasn't just his heart that was running fast right now.

She gulped, staring at him with wide eyes. Was he? Did he really mean that?

"I have been in love with you, for god knows how long, and I can't keep it a secret anymore." She was sure that her heart and body had frozen the moment the L word escaped his lips.

"Are you sure you have the right person?" She asked, her face frowning. She thought, all these years, she had thought that he was in love with Iris West, the journalist, and daughter of their superior officer, Joe West.

"It's you, it's always been you." She was sure that if he spoke any longer, tears would erupt from her eyes. Just as she was about to reply, the clock hit midnight, and fireworks erupted, along with cheers from inside, indicating that it was the start of the new year. Both of them were startled, as their conversation was interrupted, and Barry missed what she had said. She moved closer, her lips lightly brushing his ear as she whispered her confession to him.

"I love you," She told him, the endearing words tumbling from her lips, unable to contain the happiness in her voice. She moved back, and Barry had his hands cupping her cheek in an instant, one staying on her face, the other tangled in her hair as he guided her lips down to his, capturing them in a searing kiss.

Sophia was sure that her heart was about to explode as her lips moved against his as they stood in a passionate embrace. Her arms were around his neck, pulling him closer to her, his lips slanting over hers once more, electric against her skin. Once they had broken apart, Sophia leaned her forehead against his, her hot breath grazing his skin.

"Happy New Year, Allen," She breathed out, pressing a lingering kiss on his cheek, that was slightly flushed.

"Happy New Year, Lang."

"It's only taken us five years to get here," She chuckled, her eyes crinkling in happiness.

"I guess we better take it slow then?" He asked with a raised brow, and when she stared at him with a deadpanned expression he laughed, pulling her closer as he moved his arms from her face to her waist.

"If anything it means we should speed things up. I'm not waiting another five years for you to kiss me," She admitted, causing his grin to grow even larger.

"Trust me, you don't have to wait anymore, sweetheart," Barry told her, his eyes green eyes sparkling as he dipped her and kissed her once more with a passion, and with the promise of never letting her go.

 **A / N – I thought this would just be a cute AU one-shot for you all, especially considering the angst that you all had to endure last chapter in** _ **Fight or Flight**_ **.**

 **Hope you enjoy the fluff. There are some parallels to the story, which I hope some of you pick up on, I thought it would be really cute. I wrote this in like two hours, and it's really late, so please forgive me for any grammar, and mistakes.**

 **Leave a review if you would like to see some more like this to accompany the story** _ **Fight or Flight**_ **. If you haven't read that, go check it out on my page.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from the TV series _The Flash_ , just my own OC and creative genius. **

**Heroherondale.**


	2. Balance

Balance

It was snowing down heavily in Central City that day, something uncommon during late autumn in their part of the country. But that didn't bother Sophia at all, she loved the cold. The blanket of white snow covered the walk ways and streets alike, leaving the roads abandoned from their usual bustling Monday morning traffic. Most citizens were welcoming of the change, especially considering the fact that most work places had closed up for the day to accommodate for the inconvenience that came with being snowed in.

But things didn't work out for everyone it seemed. Emergency services were still called into work, that meant the hospitals and CCPD were still bustling with their workers, trying to get as much done as possible.

It seemed like luck was on their side today it seemed, because Sophia and Barry had both managed to snag the day off. Barry, used his super-speed that morning to complete all the analysis of data, and evidence that had been piled up on his desk for the day, in a matter of minutes, making sure to grab the small box that was sitting in his desk drawer at work before speeding off to meet his girlfriend. And since Sophia had been throwing in shift after shift, night after night, it hadn't taken much for her boss to let her off, even if Brian had something to say about it, like he always did.

Sophia's boots pressed into the cold snow, leaving footprints as she walked towards Jitters. She was meeting Barry there for a morning coffee before they would be heading up to the watch tower to meet with the rest of their friends on the League. They hadn't seen quite a few of them in a social setting for weeks now, and they all knew they needed a break from the chaos of trying to manage their normal lives, with their alter-ego's on top of that.

Sophia pushed the door of Jitter's open, the bell chiming as she walked in. She shrugged her coat off upon entering, her brown eyes flittering across the crowd as they searched for Barry. It was nice and cosy inside the café, the smell of coffee beans filling the air, the aroma itself, enough to get her to relax. She had been on edge since last night and she figured it was because she hadn't had any proper social interaction in over three days, besides work of course… and that didn't really count when she was working from 11pm til 4 am, with her patients asleep, and her only company the steady beeping of the life support machines in the ICU of the children's ward at Central City Hospital.

It was a moment later that her eyes found Barry's form across the room. She didn't move, just took a moment to take the sight in. He was sitting at a bench near the corner, two cups of steaming coffee in front of him on the table, as he rested his head in his hands, a dreamy expression on his face. A smile quirked on her lips as she admired him for a second longer before walking over.

"Day dreaming about me Allen? I'm flattered," Sophia teased as she took a seat across from him. Barry's face lit up in a smile as his eyes flickered over her face, not bothering to contain his excitement as he greeted his girlfriend with a quick kiss on the lips.

"Of course, my heart only belongs to you," Barry whispered against her lips, pulling back after a moment, his heart warming in his chest at the sight of her smile. He had missed her smile the last few days. Every time he had managed to see her she was either sleeping, or leaving for work, and she had looked exhausted. He had been planning to ask her the question for a week now, but the ring had been sitting in his drawer for months. He wanted to marry her. He wanted to wake up next to her every morning for the rest of his life. He wanted to spend his life with her, to grow old with her, to have children with her. They had been going steady for a while, and he knew in his heart that there would never be anyone else for him. He couldn't live without her, and he hoped that she felt the same way. He knew how difficult it was being a superhero and they both found it difficult at first to merge into the new world of crime fighting. It was a worrisome job at the very least, and both of them being in danger and having the risk of death hanging over their heads was something that he had to take into consideration when deciding to ask her the question. But something had clicked, he had realised that he didn't care. They were already in this together, and he would rather do it with her by his side, as his wife than anything else.

"You're too charming for your own good, Barry Allen," She said blushing as she picked up the drink in front of her, savouring the taste of the coffee as the warm liquid trickled down her throat.

"I can't help it. I was born this way," Barry replied.

"So how's your morning so far?"

"A bit slow, but great now that you're here, I feel like I haven't spent time with you in forever," Barry said, his nerves were starting to get the better of him, but he was glad that his words were still as smooth as ever.

"It's only been a few days," Sophia giggled, blushing lightly at Barry's charm.

"Hmm," Barry hummed as he took a large sip of the hot drink in front of him.

"Excited for today's gathering?" Sophia asked. She couldn't even begin to remember the last time she had gone to an outing with her friends that didn't involve kicking ass and saving the world from impending doom.

"Yeah, I haven't seen the gang in ages," Barry said with a smile. He was closest with John Stewart, also known as the Green Lantern, but he got along well with the whole team. He had known Oliver and Laurel the longest, then he had met Clark and Kara through Sophia's connections, and the rest of them slowly banded together to form what was now known as The Justice League. They were a mighty force, and Barry could have never predicted that he or Sophia would be a part of such a great cause when they had first discovered their powers and decided to use them to fight crime.

"Who is coming?"

"The usual suspects. Clark, Kara, Jones, John, Oliver, Laurel…Diana if she's able to, I heard she was dealing with a crisis down in Ibiza with Bruce," Barry noted. There were a few other members such as Wally, who Barry was actually training at the moment to be as fast, or if not faster than himself. Then there was the matter of other members that occasionally came in for help but preferred to work alone on a daily basis.

"Alone with Bruce? How scandalous," Sophia teased with raised eyebrows as Barry laughed. It had been a long running joke about Bruce and Diana, and they were sure that the entire League was pinning on those two getting together relatively soon.

"They say nothing's going on, but…" Barry trailed off with a knowing smirk.

"Something's totally going on," Sophia finished with a grin.

"They just don't want to admit it."

"Reminds me of a certain couple," Sophia quipped.

"Who?" Barry asked with furrowed brows, trying to figure out who she was referring to.

"Us," She stated simply and Barry broke out into laughter as he remembered their relationship history. They had been in love with each other for a good three years before either of them mentioned it, and even then it took another six months of awkward sexual tension before they admitted their feelings to each other, and that was only at the hands of the near death experience they went through when taking down Zoom.

"Ah, yes," Barry hummed with tinted cheeks as he remembered their past. "I had the biggest crush on you for years until I confessed."

"You still do," She teased.

"Well I would hope so," Barry laughed. "After all, it would be a sad marriage if the groom wasn't head over heels for his bride," Barry blurted out, his green eyes focused on her shocked expression. It wasn't exactly how he had planned to pop the question, but he was going to roll with it.

Sophia froze, looking at Barry with wide eyes, unsure if she heard that correctly. She blinked and a second later, there was a box sitting on the table in front of her, the lid popped open and a gorgeous diamond ring sitting inside, sparkling away as the light hit. Her chest was filled with a warmth that only Barry could bring out in her. She brought her hand up to her mouth, silent as she stared at the beautifully crafted ring before her, noting that the gem sitting in the middle was made out of sapphire. The cheeky bastard had proposed to her in the middle of Jitters and she was stunned into silence, absolutely… speechless.

"Did you just," She managed to get out, but her words still fumbled as she took in a deep breath.

"Yes," Barry confirmed with a small smile on his face, standing up from his seat and moving to stand in front of her. He took the ring out of the box, and got down on one knee in front of her chair, smirking as he noticed her cheeks that had donned a flaming red.

"I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. You are the light of my life, you are both my weakness and my strength. I want to spend the rest of my life with you Sophia lang. So will you do me the great honour of marrying me?" Barry proclaimed his love to her in only a few sentences, but her knees were weak from the beginning. There was a small crowd of spectators in the café who had all turned to watch the spectacle before them.

Tears of happiness brimmed in her brown eyes and she bit her lip, nodding as she burst into a grin.

"Yes, a thousand times, yes," Sophia breathed out, as Barry beamed, slipping the ring on her finger. A second later, she was in his arms, their lips joined in a passionate kiss as the café rang out in cheers of laughter and applause.

"I love you," Sophia breathed against his lips as they broke apart.

"I love you too, fiancé," Barry said with a twinkle in his eye, bringing her in for another mind blowing kiss.

For the rest of the day, no matter how hard either of them tried, the smiles would not wipe away from their lips. Her eyes kept glancing down at the ring on her finger, still not believing what had just happened that morning. She was beyond elated, and she knew that this was a memory that she would always keep close to her heart.

They had continued on with their plans to head up to the Watchtower, and upon their arrival, they announced their engagement to the team, celebrating with bottles of champagne, memories of the past and laughter all round as they were congratulated.

Sophia looked over at Barry in admiration as he recounted the story of his proposal to the team. The pure love was evident in his words, and she knew as she looked at him now that there was no one else for her on this earth or in any universe. In all of time and space, Barry Allen would always be the one.

And for the first time, in a long time, her life felt at ease.

She felt… balanced.

* * *

 **A / N – Also, keep in mind that this is an AU series of one-shots, nothing actually canon for the story** _ **Fight or Flight.**_

 **Thank you guys for the favourites and follows.**

 **This will just be a small series of one-shots that I might post every now and then whenever I get some inspiration. This particular one-shot was for a guest that asked for some Sarry fluff, and so I thought of this whole thing, and then totally added in the proposal last minute. I thought it was adorable, and something very Barry like.**

 **Hope that you enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave a review, and even a request of your own. Also, I just uploaded chapter 23 of** _ **Fight or Flight**_ **, so don't forget to check that out as well.**

 **Love you guys.**

 **Heroherondale. x**


	3. Strange Love

*AU – Barry and Sophia are both cops for the CCPD, no powers.

Warning: Heavy on the kissing but, nothing graphic.

Strange Love

Barry pushed Sophia up against the wall, his mouth pressed against hers as she tugged on the black leather jacket he was wearing, tossing it to the floor carelessly. His hands roamed, leaving a fire burning with every touch until they found her hips, gripping them tight as he pulled her closer to him. Her scent was intoxicating and Barry couldn't get enough of the taste of her lips, and the feeling of her body against his.

This was the last thing they would have expected their night to turn into.

They had been on an undercover mission, which they had failed at disastrously. The target had gotten away, and they missed their only window to catch them before they fled the country for Europe. So to distract themselves from the thought of their non-existent future in law enforcement after this epic failure, they escaped downtown to a local pub to drown their sorrows in a few glasses of alcohol. But it seemed that drink after drink their inhibitions were suddenly sent dwindling down a drain, and that's how they found themselves in this situation.

Barry had offered to take her home, but both of them being far too intoxicated to drive, they caught the cab there, and somehow an innocent goodnight kiss on the cheek, had turned into a full blown make-out session in the front lobby of her apartment building when her head had moved and his lips found her soft ones instead of her cheek. It had then progressed to the elevator, and then up in the hallway, and now as they crashed through the front door of her apartment, slamming it shut as they continued their passionate embrace. Neither was thinking about the fact that they were partners, and that they had agreed a long time ago they would never do _this_. The pleasure outweighed the consequences that they would have to face in the morning, and for now, all they wanted was to find a distraction in each other, a distraction that both had thought about for a long time.

Sophia moaned as Barry peppered hot kisses along her neck, closing her eyes in pleasure and arching her back.

"God that feels amazing," Sophia said gripping the front of his white shirt in her hands, feeling the taut muscle that was hidden underneath it with every breath that he took. Her stomach had erupted into butterflies at his first touch, and now she was sure that her insides were going to explode. It wasn't that Barry was _just_ attractive, but it was also the added fact that Sophia had buried feelings for him for quite some time now, and that with the added fact that he looked unfairly handsome tonight with his dark jeans, and his leather jacket draped over his sheer white tee, she wasn't able to contain her emotions when he had kissed her down in the lobby. When he had responded immediately, moving further she knew that he wanted this as well, and she was past the point of caring. For once, she just wanted to do something that would make her happy.

"Why haven't we done this sooner?" Barry asked breathlessly as he brought his lips back to hers, capturing them in a heated kiss.

"Because, we're stupid, and terrified of commitment," Sophia said in between kisses. "But we should have done this sooner, I've can't believe I've been missing out on this," She whispered breathlessly.

"You can say that again," Barry murmured against her lips.

"Less talking, more kissing," Sophia told Barry causing him to laugh, a grin erupting on his face, and in that moment, neither of them felt more sober.

* * *

The sunlight filtered through the sheer beige curtains that were draped over her windows. After opening her eyes, Sophia squinted slightly as she allowed her eyes to adjust to the warm beams of light pouring through at this time of the morning. She glanced at the clock to see that it was just past 9am, meaning she hadn't slept in too late. She sighed peacefully, enjoying the warmth that radiated off her, noting that the sunlight was quite enjoyable at this time of the morning. She closed her eyes snuggling further back into the warmth before registering that there was actually an arm around her waist.

Her eyes widened as she remembered the events of the previous night. She looked down to see that she was wearing a tee shirt, and her underwear, but she wasn't naked which meant that they hadn't gotten that far in their escapades. She sighed in relief at this fact. She turned over slightly to see a shirtless Barry sleeping next to her in just a pair of his boxers. Her cheeks donned a light blush as she noticed his state of undress. She let her eyes drag over his form, taking in the site before her with an appreciation that she hadn't been able to hold onto last night. She didn't remember all that much after they had arrived back at her apartment, but she was glad that they hadn't moved further than the intense make-out session of the year. If she was going to leap over that line then she wanted to at least be a hundred per cent sober so that she could remember it.

Carefully she shuffled in her position so that she was now facing Barry completely, one hand of hers propping her head up, and the other placed on his bare chest as she watched him sleep, admiring his form in this peaceful state. Her eyes trailed over his face, committing this picture to memory. Every dimple, every freckle, she wanted to remember it all. She wondered what he would say when he woke up. She wondered what she would tell him. They had been close to beginning a relationship a few years back, and she wanted it more than she had ever wanted a relationship with anyone in the past, but because of their line of work, the dangers that followed them… they had mutually decided it would be best if they weren't involved in that way. It was hard at first, but over time she had built her walls back up, and she was content with their friendship even though she knew that she had always wanted something more.

Last night something must have just…trigged inside of her. She had this hunger, this want, this need to be with him. She figured that after three years, all the pent up feelings and emotions had broken through, for both of them by the looks of it, she mused as she looked around the room, her eyes glancing at the lost and strewn pieces of clothing that lay on the floor. She wasn't sure what had stopped them from continuing last night, but guessed one of them had either gotten sick or fallen asleep in the process, due to the copious amounts of alcohol they had consumed prior to that.

Sophia leaned her head back onto the pillow, settling down into a more comfortable position as she realised that Barry wouldn't be waking up any time soon. She closed her eyes and slowly she drifted to sleep listening to the sound of his breathing, and taking comfort in the scent of his aftershave that made her feel at home.

It was a few hours later that Barry awoke, opening his eyes to see Sophia sleeping by his side with his arms wrapped around her securely. It had given him a fright, not the bad kind, but it had surprised him. His brow furrowed as he tried to recall last night's events. It took a moment before it all came back to him, and his cheeks flushed red at the very thought of what had happened. He could still feel the tingling sensation of her lips on his as he recalled the memory, especially when his eyes had then drifted over to her sleeping form, his green eyes focusing on her soft lips that were slightly parted as she slept. He couldn't help but think that she looked absolutely adorable as she slept.

Her hair was a mess as it fanned around her face, and her nose would scrunch up the slightest every few minutes, her lips parted in a sigh as she slept peacefully. As he continued to watch her, he noticed that she looked much younger than ever. There were no stress lines on her face, or frowns to match and he thought that she had never looked more beautiful than in this moment.

He smiled as he remembered what had happened that night. She had stopped him as they made their way to the bed, claiming that if she was going to spend the night with him then she wanted to be sober to remember every detail of their passion in all its glory. It had caused him to blush at her bluntness, not expecting it from her of all people, but he had agreed as well. Both of them were also exhausted even though they were running off the buzz of adrenaline from the alcohol and their intoxicating kisses. So they had changed out of their clothes into something more comfortable before collapsing onto her bed, their limbs tangling together as they drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

He knew that he wanted to be with her. They had made a grave mistake all those years ago and he wanted to make up for lost time. It wasn't long til her eyes slowly fluttered open, and a smile quirking on her lips as she watched Barry stare at her, now wide awake.

"Good morning," He mumbled, his voice husky and heavy with sleep.

"Morning handsome," Sophia greeted with a smile.

"Have a good sleep?" Barry asked, bringing his hand up to her face as he brushed away a piece of hair that was falling out of place to block her vision.

"The best," She replied with a grateful smile.

"I want to take you out tonight," Barry said, not missing a beat. He wanted a proper relationship with her, and to start, he was going to take her out on the perfect first date.

"Dinner?" She questioned simply. She knew how he felt, she didn't need him to say it, because she saw it in his eyes, and she definitely remembered it last night.

"How does seven sound?" He mused, rubbing circles onto the palm of her hand that he held in his.

" _Perfect_."

"What do you want to do now?"

"Seeing as though we don't have work, and I still feel super hungover from last night, lying in bed by your side sounds great," She said.

"Your wish is my command," Barry said and she laughed, snuggling up closer to him, laying her head against his chest.

"We should have done this sooner," Barry said, placing a kiss on her forehead, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as he held her closer to his chest. She could hear the thump of his heart in her ear, and she swore there was nothing more serene than this sound.

"I think you said that last night as well," Sophia teased, remembering what had followed after that. She was sure that she had a love-bite or two on her neck from what had followed after he uttered those words last night.

"Well both sober and drunk me are obviously head over heels for you," Barry confessed in mirth.

" _Charmer_."

"Only for you," Barry said, his lips quirking into a grin as he met her gaze, noticing the twinkle that had found its way in her golden brown eyes.

"Less talking, more kissing," Sophia teased, and Barry leaned down, more than happy to comply.

* * *

 **A / N –**

 **This was another AU where Sophia and Barry are partners in Law Enforcement. Thought you guys would enjoy a bit more of fluff/steam in their relationship because back in** _ **Fight or Flight**_ **they are currently dealing with a lot of stress and finding it hard to balance their relationship when they just found out that their boss, their friend and their mentor is also their worst nightmare.**

 **Review please, I'd love to hear your thoughts. And if you have any requests, like special birthdays, or events or just things you think would be hilarious or great to read about send it in. Even for other characters. It's just been Sarry, but we can definitely get some Cisco, Caitlin, Eddie and Iris up in this joint.**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	4. Lab Partners

College AU based of this post: post/118776175413/science-aus

*JLU College – Justice League United College (Completely made up, because I'm not from America and I couldn't think of any college names, and so I went with this).

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of the TV series _The Flash_ , only my OC and creative genius.

Lab Partners

To say Sophia Lang was horrible at labs was an understatement.

It was ironic because she understood the theory perfectly, in fact, she was coming in the top of her class in College. But when it came to the practical concepts, things started to take a turn for the worst.

It wasn't that she couldn't perform the tasks, or experiments, it was more the fact that she was the epitome of clumsy, and then this lead to her being nervous, and then lead to her mixing steps up, resulting in the failure of the experiment. She had been this way since she was a little kid, and though this was a highlighted part of her personality, that many of her friends knew of, it didn't stop her from becoming a waitress of all things at her local coffee shop, and it certainly didn't stop her from applying to the Bachelor of Science, majoring in applied physics and chemistry at JLU College.

So that's how she found herself in this sticky situation that was brewing to a point beyond saving. The class was tasked with completing a simple titration in pairs of two. But seeing as though this was one of her chemistry classes that she certainly lacked company in, she was glad when the tutor partnered everyone up, choosing names randomly off the class list.

"Allen and Lang, bench 7," Marian, the tutor and lecturer for this unit called out. Sophia had never heard of an Allen in this class before so she assumed that he was either new, or she had just not paid enough attention to her classmates. But when she turned to see a tall green eyed boy walk over to her, her eyes slightly widened in nervousness. Matching the name to the face was certainly a surprise. She had seen him around campus quite a bit in the last month, but she never knew that he was in any of her classes.

He silently took a seat next to her at their designated bench, offering her a small smile as a quick greeting whilst Marian spoke about their task for the lesson, one that would be going to 30 per cent of their final grade.

"It's a simple acid-base titration. All of the equipment, solutes and acids have already been prepared and placed on your benches. All that is left is for you to determine which acid you have been given. Do so within the 45 minutes allocated, and you will receive a pass, fail to do so, and well… I wouldn't bother showing up for tomorrow's class," Marian spoke harshly, a small smirk appearing on her lips as she watched the crowd of bumbling and nervous students get to work. But she spoke the truth. If the students couldn't complete a simple acid-base titration, there was no way they should be doing this class, let alone moving into a field of scientific research or application.

"Hi, I'm Barry," Green eyes introduced, putting his hand out for Sophia to shake. She was frozen for a second before she pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose awkwardly, then moving to grasp his hand in a quick shake. "I'm new to this class. Just transferred."

"Sophia Lang, nice to meet you," She greeted with a smile of her own. She looked anxiously at the desk before her and figured she should give Barry some warning when it came to her… clumsiness. "Before we start, I think you should know that I am a bit clumsy, so please be patient with me," Sophia said awkwardly and he gave her a smile, shrugging her shoulders.

"Think nothing of it. Why don't we get to work?" He suggested, looking down at the instructions provided, trying to avoid gazing at her golden brown eyes that were framed by an adorable pair of glasses.

"Sure thing."

As Barry scribbled a few equations down on his notepad, Sophia riffled through her bag, swapping her normal glasses for a pair of safety glasses that also contained the same prescription, allowing her to see without having to wear two sets of glasses like a loser. Not to mention that it was uncomfortable, and made seeing things even more difficult. When she turned around, she hadn't expected to come nearly face to face with Barry, let alone hear what he had uttered next.

"No one should look as good as you do in safety goggles," Barry mumbled and she bit back her laughter, but unfortunately she wasn't able to keep back the rosy pink that donned her cheeks a few seconds later. _Oh my god, did he just say that._

"I'm just going to pretend that I didn't hear anything," Sophia said, avoiding his gaze, and this caused Barry to laugh even though he was shocked by his own words.

And with that they got to work. Sophia tried her very best to try and run through things smoothly. She knew that if she worked at her own pace instead of rushing like she normally would, that she would be less prone to making mistakes or having accidents, but she still couldn't get a handle on a few things and ended up turning the titration solution a bright purple when it was meant to be turning a deep red instead. She smiled sheepishly when Barry sent a frown her way. His scowl had dissipated at her apology and the sheepish look that was strewn across her face.

"I know you said you were clumsy, but you've picked up the same base the last three times, making the same mistake," Barry pointed out and her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. "If I see this go bright purple one more time, I'm going to have to beat you with the measuring cylinder," Barry teased and she rolled her eyes at his antics. The longer they worked together, the less nervous she felt around him, even if he was super attractive, and even if his eyes were gorgeous seas of green, and… okay she was getting off topic. She shook her head, looking back down at the bright purple solution before throwing it down the chemical wastage drain, sighing as she knew she would have to start again.

"I'm sorry I keep messing up the titration," She apologised again, moving around him to grab the hydrochloric acid that was on the other side of the table. But being distracted with the thoughts of her embarrassment, she hadn't been focusing on what she was doing, and the measuring cylinder that held the hydrochloric acid went flying, spilling on the front of Barry's white tee shirt, soaking through the material in seconds.

"Oh my god," She yelped, and he groaned as he looked down. She quickly ushered him to the emergency shower in the corner of the room, pushing him under the shower head and turning it on full blast, splashing both herself and him in water. Their classmates paid little attention to them both, knowing that it wasn't too serious, and the fact that they were used to Sophia being involved in such accidents.

"Crap," Barry muttered under his breath as he grasped the bottom of his tee shirt, pulling it up and over his head in one swift motion, letting it drop to the floor of the emergency shower. She gulped as she watched him take his shirt off, her eyes drifting over his well-defined chest and his muscled arms that were now dripping with water. She felt absolutely terrible that she had screwed up today's lesson so royally, especially since she had drenched his shirt in hydrochloric acid, and probably failed the task for them both. She could see him clench his jaw as the water rushed over him, soothing the light burn that had erupted on his chest where the acid had touched his skin if only for a mere few seconds. Ridden with guilt, she tried to make a joke to diffuse the situation, but it just came out as some shameless flirting and she was pleasantly surprised at the response.

"If I knew you looked that good shirtless and wet, I would have spilled it on you much earlier," Sophia said, mentally face-palming once the words were out of her mouth.

"Maybe next time we can reverse the roles?" Barry quipped, aiming to diffuse the tension and they both burst out into laughter. She moved forward, turning the shower off, and passing him a towel from the cupboard next to it, both of them drying off.

Barry didn't know what it was. He should have been angry with her, frustrated even, but he was just…amused. They were both drenched in water, their experiment basically a complete flop, but they were careless and that was the beauty of it all. There was something about her that intrigued him, something about her that made him yearn to know more. So once he had stepped out of the class that afternoon, now dressed in a hoodie and slightly damp jeans he called out her name before she could flee the scene.

"How about we get a coffee, I know a really good place on campus that just opened up. Maybe I can help you out with your…titrations in the future?" Barry asked, holding his breath as he waited for her answer. Her brown eyes darted over to his quickly as she stood there with a frozen expression, searching for an answer. After a moment she nodded, uttering a quick yes and he beamed, falling in line with her as they made their way to the coffee house known as Jitters.

"I'd love to."

And that folks, was the first day Barry Allen and Sophia Lang officially met. Little did they know that her clumsiness would have led to their first date, and then their first kiss, their first apartment, and so forth, resulting in a lifetime of happiness because of her inability to complete a simple titration, that mind you, they both had gotten a pass mark for in the end, because Barry took over the physical part while she focused on the theory.

In the end, the Lab partners became partners for life, and it was a story that they would look back on with endearment and laughter.

* * *

 **A / N –**

 **I thought it was cute, and adorable, and totally them. Hope you enjoyed it.**

 **More SARRY to come in the future. I've got some really cute short stories lined up. Don't forget to follow and review. Also, chapter 24 is out for** _ **Fight or Flight**_ **, so go over and check it out.**

 **Til next time.**

 **Heroherondale.**


	5. You're Beautiful

You're Beautiful

"Flash! You come back here, don't you run away from me!" Sapphire yelled out as she flew after him, trying to keep up with the sneaky scarlet speedster.

"You'll have to catch me first," The Flash let out a bout of laughter as he ran circles around her form that was now stationary on the ground.

She glared at him, her eyes glowing cerulean blue as she focused on his movements. His feet might have been fast, but so where her calculated eyes. A moment later she had figured out his pattern, and with an outstretched palm bubbling with cobalt energy she grabbed onto the front of his red leather suit, shocking him into place. He made a low guttural noise from the back of his throat as he tripped over his own two feet, her energy zapping him enough for light discomfort, but not the usual agonising pain she played around with in battle.

He crashed to the ground in an unflattering heap, and she stood in front of him. Without looking up he knew that she was standing in front of him, his vision presented with the sight of her blue boots standing in front of him. He groaned as he rolled over, standing up in a seconds notice. She had her hands on her hips, an expectant look on her face, and her lips wanting to twitch into a smile, at least it was obvious that she found this funny.

" _Well_?"

"Well _what_?" The Flash replied with an innocent smile.

"Hand it over," She said, holding out her hand, waiting for him to give it back. He had taken her necklace and he refused to give it back, thus leading to the crazy chase within their training facility. She was thankful that it was only occupied by them at this present time, not wanting to be embarrassed in front of anyone else.

"Why do you want it so bad?"

"Because it's mine, and you took it," She replied, with a sarcastic tone. "Hand it over."

"Not until you say the special word."

"And what might that be?"

"Please."

"Why do I have to say, please? You're the one who _stole_ my necklace," She pointed out, crossing her arms aggressively.

"I wouldn't exactly call it stealing, you are the one who dropped it," He pointed out.

"Well the least you could do is give it back, and apologise for your terrible behaviour," She huffed.

"Hmm… I could, but this is more fun."

"Since when did you transform into a five year old?" She asked with a snarky tone, sending a smirk onto his face. He loved to rile her up, in fact this was the reason he was doing it, _that_ and so he could spend some more time in her presence. " _Oh_ wait, that would be offensive to five year olds."

The Flash rolled his eyes, holding out the necklace for her, to grab. She moved in, ready to take it off his hands when he used his speed to throw it into his other hand.

" _Really_? You're going to resort to childish behaviour now?"

"I thought I was a five year old, I'm just acting like it," The Flash defended with a mock gasp.

"Fine. _Please_."

"There you go," He said, handing it over.

"Why didn't you want me to see it that badly?" He asked curiously, moving closer than she would have liked. Well, that's at least what she tried-key word being _tried-_ to tell herself.

"Because there's a photo in there of me, and I don't want you to know my secret identity," She admitted placing the necklace securely in a pocket of her super-suit, where he wouldn't be able to take it from her.

"I'll show you mine, you show me yours."

"…"

"That didn't come out right."

"You think?"

"Let me rephrase that. You tell me who you are, I'll tell you who I am. I know that not everyone on the team has revealed their identities, but how can we trust each other and get to know each other better if we don't even know whose behind the mask?" The Flash spoke, and her expression softened, the anger leaving her face, and now replaced with light curiosity.

She would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about who the mysterious speedster was. In fact, she had spent many nights sleepless as she thought about who he could be. She wondered if it was someone she knew in her daily life. Had she seen him before? Was he one of her close friends? Where did he work? Was he cute? Was he absolutely ugly? She decided that the last question was a stupid one. If he looked that great in a leather suit with a mask, she was sure that the person underneath would not only have an exquisite physique, but an interesting personality. All these questions had plagued her mind for months now. They had sort of flirted on and off, but it was mostly banter that some would perceive as friendly.

"Can I trust you?" Sapphire asked, tilting her head as she studied what part of his face she could see. From what she could tell, he had beautiful green eyes, and every time he used his speed, they glowed, illuminated by yellow electricity, forming this incredible golden spark. He had high cheekbones, and soft pink lips. She was desperate to find out more, and she knew that having worked with him before, that he would sacrifice his life, his own safety for others, and she knew that she trusted him with her secret. She was just afraid of what it would mean. Would that mean he wouldn't be interested in her anymore? The chase factor was gone, and she wasn't sure that he would like what he saw. What was so special about Sophia Lang, the nurse from Kansas? The most exciting thing about her was Sapphire, and that wasn't really her, deep in her heart, that was all Sophia. She was just afraid of…rejection.

"Yes," He answered without hesitation. "I think the better question is, can I trust you won't laugh when I take my mask off," He joked.

"You're not bald are you?" Sophia asked hesitantly, her face a bit skewed, like she had just eaten a sour lemon.

"N-No, _what_ -why would you think I was bald?" He stuttered out, his brow furrowing.

"Well you said don't laugh, and I can't really see the shape of your hair through your mask, so I just assumed…" She trailed of, unable to contain herself as they both burst into laughter, clutching onto their stomachs.

After their laughter had subsided, they just watched each other carefully when he made the first move. He brought both hands up, ready to take his mask off when she grabbed his hands, freezing him in place, his green eyes scanning her face.

"Let me," She said softly, and her hands did the work. He stood there in silence, his heart pounding in his chest as his eyes never left hers. Slowly, her hands felt for the leather material around his face, and she pulled it off to reveal the most handsome face she had probably ever seen. Her stomach erupted in butterflies as she witnessed the piece of artwork before her. Ruffled brown hair that made her heart ache in her chest, green eyes that matched so well, and cheekbones that his mask didn't do justice, at least not like the real thing.

"So you're not bald," She blurted out, unsure of what to say first. She wanted to tell him that he was beautiful, but feared that he might take that the wrong way. His hair was all messy and her fingers twitched as she had the urge to run her hand through the soft tresses. And he had the most adorable beauty spots on the side of his face, and even one on his neck, just underneath his jaw, distracting her from her thought process as she wondered what it would be like to kiss-. _No, stop. I am not thinking about The Flash like that._

"Yeah," He murmured, his eyes never leaving her own. "Your turn."

She stood there now, her hands dropping by her side as she felt his fingertips on her face, grasping the dark eye mask that covered the top portion of her face. Her breath was uneven and she hoped that he wouldn't notice, but being this close to him had an effect on her body that she couldn't control. The energy between them was electrifying, _pun_ intended. She was desperate to close her eyes in fear of what his reaction would be, but she kept them open, her curiosity winning her over.

A moment later, he held her mask in his hand and his eyes rolled over her face, taking in every inch of her. He was sure that if he wasn't infatuated with her before, then he certainly was now.

Her face was glowing, and the longer he stared at her freckled cheeks, her golden brown eyes that seemed to catch the light just right, or the way her cheek curved when she smiled, he was sure that his heart was going to beat out of his chest. She was to put it simply- breathtaking.

"You're beautiful," He blurted out, and a light blush rose to her cheeks, and it made her even more adorable than before, and he could feel his heart soaring in his chest. " _Wow_."

"You're not too bad yourself," She murmured shyly, shrugging her shoulders. She wondered where all that spunk and confidence had gone. As soon as the mask had come off, she had reverted back to her old self, shy and unsure.

"Now that we've seen each other's faces, I think introductions are in order," He said, giving her a small smile. "I'm Barry, Barry Allen."

"Sophia Lang, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," She shook his hand, trying to stop the blush from spreading further on her face, but she was a lost cause as soon as his green eyes met hers. If it was possible to melt from swooning she was sure she would have been a puddle on the ground about five minutes ago.

He let out an awkward cough, breaking their current trance. Not that he didn't want to stare at her all day, but he did notice the time. They were due for patrol in less than fifteen minutes, and they needed to gather their mission instructions from HQ.

"Are you on patrol tonight?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, I've got 15th and 21st again."

"So do I," Barry said with a smile.

"I guess I'll see you there, _Barry_ ," Sophia said, testing his name out on her lips. Barry decided immediately that he loved the way she said his name, and he was banging himself on the head-inside- about why he hadn't told her sooner.

"I look forward to it, _Sophia_."

And that night, they spent patrolling, beating up criminals and asking each other random questions as they got to know one another better. From the smallest of things, to their deepest thoughts. It was a lovely way to start of their friendship, what they didn't know was that it would soon bloom into something more beautiful and wonderful than they could have ever known, and all because Barry was a bad flirt and had stolen picked up her necklace.

* * *

 **A / N – I wrote this bad boy in about two hours. Hope it's decent.**

 **In this AU as you can obviously tell, they work together as a part of the Justice League, and they had only known each other as Sapphire and The Flash, but now it's time for a REVEAL. I thought it was cute.**

 **Please review, and leave any suggestions. I'll take them into consideration for future short stories, and who knows, if I can get it done, I'll post it.**

 **Also, chapter 25 of** _ **Fight or Flight**_ **has been posted, go check it out. Only three more chapters to go til it comes to its end.**

 **Replies:**

 **Natalie: I won't do a full lemon as I am uncomfortable writing it, plus I'd be terrible, so what was in the previous chapters will be the furthest it goes… sorry! But I am going to be writing some more Justice League inspired one-shots of Sophia and Barry, so you have something to look forward to!**

 **Shadowhunters12: I thought it was adorable, and since it was inspired by a tumblr prompt, I tried to stick with it, and thus the events unravelled in that way. Glad that you're enjoying these, and I am definitely trying my best to write something where Sophia meets his mom. I still haven't decided how it will be set out, i.e. if they travel back to the past, or another earth, or its just a parallel universe where Nora is alive. But it's something that sounds lovely to write.**


	6. Stone

Stone

Light music played in the background, the soft sound of strumming flowing to Sophia's ears from her small radio sitting on her bed-side table. The lyrics touched her soul, and ignited a feeling of safety as her fingers itched to open the overly decorated box in front of her.

Sophia was situated in the middle of her bed, her legs criss-crossed and the blankets drawn up just enough to cover her feet. In her lap sat a box full of memories of a life that she would never have again.

Letters, cards, photos, memorabilia of a time of love, happiness and freedom. A time where she was as carefree as a butterfly fluttering in the wind, content and free. With no worries, no problems, and a heart that wasn't shattered. It was her sixteenth birthday and she was spending it huddled up in her stuffy room, the only light a mere candle in the corner as tears slowly trickled down her face.

She thought that she would have been strong enough to do this, but even after the years that had passed, it only seemed harder.

Her fingers lightly brushed the photo in the box as she picked it up, grasping it with unnecessary strength. It was a Polaroid photo of her mother, and herself, just shy of her fourteenth birthday. It had been two years since her passing, and she still felt the pain as though it had happened yesterday. The wounds were fresh and she could feel the stinging sensation throughout her chest as she thought about it more and more.

It was meant to be her sweet sixteenth birthday, but she didn't have the one person she wanted there with her the most. She quickly skimmed over the photo one more time, committing it to memory, as though she hadn't done it already before picking up the box and throwing it across the room, the box thrashing against the wall, the contents falling out and crashing to the ground.

The loud sound echoed in the silent house, and it was quiet for a moment longer before the loud sound of steps hurried up the stairs. Her father, Arthur opened the door, barging in nervous and worried that something had happened. When his eyes darted to his daughter who looked fine besides the distressed look on her face, and then the box in a mess on the floor he knew what had happened.

Her music had stopped long ago, and it was silent aside from her heavy breathing as Arthur watched her with worried eyes.

He let out a hearty sigh and moved over into the room, slowly picking up the pieces and placing them back in the box before placing the box on her desk, moving to take a seat next to his daughter on the bed. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, bringing her head into his chest as Sophia wept, clinging onto him like no tomorrow.

"Why did she have to leave pa?" Sophia cried, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I know it's not fair, but that's life."

Sophia's sobs quieted down til it was just light sniffles and she curled up further next to her father, seeking the comfort that she so desperately needed.

"I have something for you," Her dad spoke softly after a few minutes. He hoped that this would cheer her up.

"Your mother wanted you to have this," Arthur said, pulling out the silver ring from his pocket. It was her wedding ring, encrusted in small diamonds, with a sapphire stone in the middle. It was her birth stone, and Arthur had thought it was a beautiful design for a wedding ring. When he had bought it for his wife, he recalled her laughing at him for how cheesy it was, but he also remembered the way she smiled, the way the stars danced in her eyes, and the sun in her smile. Most importantly, he remembered that she lived on in Sophia's smile, in Sophia's heart.

"Mom's ring," Sophia breathed out as she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "Why are you giving this to me now?"

"Because she would want you to have it," He told her. He had attached it to a thin silver chain so that she would wear it around her neck. "There's always a part of her that will be with you, not just in this ring, but here," Arthur pointed to the middle of her chest, "'in your heart."

Sophia nodded slowly, mustering as much courage as she could to give him a smile as he pushed her hair to one side, securing the delicate necklace around her neck.

"Thanks, pa."

"I love you sweetheart," Arthur spoke, changing to Cantonese mid-way. _"I'll always love you my sweet child, and your mother, she loves you even more."_

" _I love you too, both of you,"_ Sophia replied, the words rolling of her tongue with ease. For the first time on her birthday, she felt like celebrating, she felt content and she felt loved. She wrapped her arms around her father, hugging him tightly, clamping her eyes shut as she sent a wish, a prayer out there into the universe.

Wherever her mother was, she hoped that she was safe, and warm, and happy.

She hoped that her mother knew that she loved her with everything she had, and she promised that she would try to be happy again, because she knew that whatever she did next, wherevers she ended up, her mother would be with her along the way.

* * *

 **A / N – Super angst but I love it. It's something a bit different, and it really shows Sophia's vulnerability as a young teenage girl without her mother, and I wanted to capture her weakness here. Even though this is classed as an AU series for the story Fight or Flight, this one-shot could actually be classified in Fight or Flight canon. This is totally a scene I would back that happened in her teenage years.**

 **Really hope that you all enjoyed it.**

 **Thanks for all the favourites/follows/reviews. You are all superheroes in your own way.**

 **Replies:**

 **Shadowhunters12: In the TV series as a kid, I would always watch The Flash act like the goof, whether it was Barry Allen or Wally West portraying the character, and I really wanted to capture that, so I am glad that it turned out well. I really wanted to make the reveal personal and something to hang on to. Mmm. I haven't had time to look back on that prompt, but still deciding whether to make it an alternate universe just like this series or have them travel to like another earth or something… but either way, its' in the works. Thank you so much for the review!**

 **Natalie: I've got a Justice League chapter coming up for this series! So keep an eye out! Thanks again for the review and all the support.**

 **Heroherondale. x**


	7. New Americana

_AU_ prompt, dedicated to Natalie – Battles involving lots of explosions, action and a little bit of romance.

 _Note_ : CSA stands for Crime Syndicate of America. [Parallel Earth's Justice League that consists of the same members, but evil versions]. I will try and refer to all the character as their superhero names, except for Sophia (Sapphire) and Barry (The Flash). This also will not include all members of the Justice League, only a key few. Only because it's hard to incorporate so many characters in a small story.

New Americana

The battle raged on, colourful explosions erupting in the distance, leaving debris scattered across the forest floor. The fight had moved from the outpost after the complex had been reduced to rubble and dirt, rolling deeper into the dark corners of the wilderness.

Sapphire wasn't exactly sure how it had all started, but all her body could do was respond instinctively.

Fight or Flight.

She had battled wars before with the Justice League, ones where many of them hadn't made it out alive, or unscathed, but this was on a whole new level.

Dozens of villains and meta-humans alike ravished the island of Lian Yu, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Someone had betrayed their secret base, that they were co-running with A.R.G.U.S, and had set free some of their worst prisoners.

Slade Wilson.

Roy Bivolo.

Mark Mardon.

Grodd.

But that surprisingly wasn't the problem. The league had easily managed to contain them back into their cells once they had worked together. It was what came next that left them desperate for an escape.

The Crime Syndicate had arrived.

How they had travelled from their parallel Earth, and onto this one, was a mystery that would have to wait to be unravelled. But right now, they were all struggling to fight their evil counterparts. Each member had originally planned on taking on their evil doppelganger, but it seemed as though each one of them were too alike. They thought the same and fought the same, and this made it that much harder to wear each other down.

"Superman, this plan isn't working," Sapphire called through the comm. as she threw another wave of energy at her evil self, who had managed to dodge the hit with ease, flying up into the air and around. She turned around, melding the energy in her hands to form two gauntlet looking gloves that encased her hands, firing out short dispersed blasts at her doppelganger, feeling a sense of achievement when she hit her thigh.

All she received from Superman was a grunt in response as she saw him take a sharp right hook to his jaw, his body soaring through the air and crashing through at least a dozen trees until he crashed into the ground. She cringed as she watched him fall down in what looked like a very painful position before turning her sights back on her doppelganger.

"Agreed, I think we need a change in tactic," Wonder Woman suggested, throwing her golden lasso around her other self. She spread her legs and steadying her knees as she utilised her upper body strength to swing around in a circle, throwing CSA Wonder Woman at least a few miles back into the complex rubble, smirking when she witnessed her crash with a loud bang. "Any suggestions?" She asked, not breathless in the slightest, amazing Sapphire at her stamina. But then again, this was Wonder Woman they were talking about, Warrior Princess of the Amazon. Basically, she was the most badass fighter here, and Sapphire definitely looked up to her.

"I think we should swap dance partners," Barry commented, as he took a left turn, and then sharply turned right in an effort to lose the _other_ Flash who was hot on his tail. He took some pride in the fact that he was faster, and that he was also a bit sharper when it came to fighting techniques. He had his wife Sapphire to thank for that. She had instilled a strict training regime into their daily life to make sure that they were always on top of their game, and not slacking behind and eating big belly burger every second night. But sometimes he liked to sneak out of the house and grab a quick bite without her knowing…after all, he would burn it off in a flash.

"Whatever works," Sophia grunted as she took another hit to the abdomen, crashing into a tree, the bark digging uncomfortably in the back of her head. She was reluctant to touch the back of her head in the fear that it would come back wet with blood. Her eyes narrowed on the evil Sapphire, and she used her heat vision to attack her doppelganger who had flown at her straight on. The collision of energy and her body was enough to force her to drop to the ground in pain.

"Batman is so lucky he had a crisis in Gotham," Green Lantern groaned, flying through the clouds as he tried to avoid being hit by a giant green dragon that his counterpart had created. He had to admit that it was a pretty sweet move, and he was annoyed that he hadn't thought about it himself, but he tried not to think about it as emerald flames licked the clouds, as he pushed his body to glide through the sky faster than the dragon could catch up.

"Flash, you take Green Lantern," Wonder Woman ordered through the comm. taking control over the situation. "Superman, you get my counterpart and I'll take yours. Green lantern you take on Sapphire and Sapphire you get The Flash."

"Got it."

"Affirmative."

"I am so excited to kick your ass," The Flash said playfully, causing Green Lantern to let out a bout of laughter.

"Go ahead, as long as you make sure to get the right one," Green Lantern said, narrowly avoiding a hit that CSA Sapphire blasted at him, her eyes glowing a dark black as she smirked.

Sapphire flew up into the sky, her hair floating ethereally around her head as she scoured the landscape below in the search for the evil version of her husband. She figured that it wouldn't be too hard to spot him considering that his suit was of a different design, and a darker shade of red, almost the colour of blood, but she was finding it hard.

Then in the corner of her vision, she spotted a whirlwind of air and knew that it could only be one person. She ducked as the other Flash tried to catch her in his tornado, as he rotated his arms in opposite directions in an attempt to bring her down from the sky and level the playing field.

She flew down closer to the ground, her eyes focused as she shot just past him, stopping mid-air to call out to him.

"You're gonna have to catch me first, _Flash_ ," Sapphire yelled out, eyes glowing as she shot out into the distance, flying between the branches and heavy leaves of the trees in an attempt to draw him out of the main battle. She knew that with all the distraction there, it would be hard to get in a shot, but if she isolated him, it wouldn't be too impossible.

The other Flash smirked, as he ran across the forest floor, jumping over broken trees and sliding through the bushes in an attempt to keep up with Sapphire. He noted that Sapphire of this world was faster with her flight than his own, putting a smirk on his face for some reason. After all, the excitement was all in the chase and he was sure that he was going to catch her.

Moments later he ran straight into a blue barrier, smashing into it face first as he was moving too fast to manoeuvre out of the way. He had not seen that coming.

" _Ugh_ ," He groaned as he collapsed on the ground, pushing himself up. He had obviously spoken to soon.

Sapphire smirked as she created a larger force field around the empty clearing she had found. It was large enough for her to fight him in, and she had boxed them in using her powers to settle down the field to stay without her having to concentrate on it too much. She had been developing her powers over the years, especially since their last encounter with the CSA and she was ready to take him down again.

"If you wanted a little alone time, all you had to do was ask _sweetheart_ ," The flash said, his eyes glowing a bright red, giving him the appearance of the devil. She glared at him for a moment when used the endearment that was only reserved for _her_ husband.

She cocked a brow at him as they walked in circles around each other, waiting for the other to pounce first. Her breathing was steadier than it was previously, but she could still feel the steady thump of her heart against her chest cavity as she watched him. It wasn't every day that you fought your husband's evil doppelganger, and it wasn't easy to hurt someone that wore the same face as your lover.

She moved forward in her flight and he did as well with his speed, but she had the momentum of gravity on her side at this present moment. Her hands grasped his upper arms as she picked him up and then slammed him down on the ground on his back, knocking the wind out of him as she landed next to him. She kicked him in the abdomen and he rolled over on the hard ground grunting in pain.

"Sorry I lost my manners somewhere in the dirt, but you can help me find them," She said, pressing his face down into the ground as she kept her foot mounted on his back. She was sure that if Vibe was there, he would be proud of her sassiness.

He grinned, then taking this opportunity to clasp his hand around her foot, flipping them over so she was the one on the ground now. She didn't waste a moment, placing her two hands on his chest and sending an electrostatic shock through his body, leaving him convulsing in spasms on top of her. She pushed him up, rolling underneath him, and hovering in the air as she watched him struggle to get up, his arms wobbly and weak underneath the weight of his own body.

"Ready for round 2, _sweetheart_ ," She taunted.

"For you, _always_ ," He commented with a cackle before running up to her faster than she could comprehend, grasping her neck in his hands with a vice grip and throwing her back against her own blue force field, holding her up in the air as she clawed at his hand trying to rip him off her. In a desperate attempt to get him off, her eyes glowed an illuminating cobalt, heating up by the second.

The Flash looked at her in confusion, unsure of what she was doing. He knew Sapphire's powers, but he didn't know what she was doing at this present moment.

Not even a full second later, her heat vision kicked in, the azure lasers shooting from her eyes and burning the front of his chest where they were aimed at. He howled in pain, crashing into the ground behind him as her heat vision blasted at his skin. He ran around within the force field, and her eye followed his every move, burning everything in her path, but she wasn't too worried about that. She stopped for a moment and so did he, landing in the middle of the clearing, breathing heavily with a scorched chest.

"Ah!" She screamed as she threw her two hands out on her sides the cobalt energy flowing off her in rings, before bringing them together and clapping, sending a sizzling wave of energy straight at The Flash who had nowhere left to run.

He collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony as she flew over to him, her figure towering over his body.

"Looks like this game is over."

And with a swift kick to the head, he was knocked out cold.

* * *

Dragging his body in tow, she had managed to locate the rest of the team, who had thankfully also captured the others. She placed _his_ body next to the unconscious forms of the others, and just as Superman was about to explain their next move, and where to transport the new prisoners, a large wormhole opened in the middle of the sky, and one by one, the CSA members were drawn up into the void, closing in an instance.

"All that shit for nothing," Sophia grumbled under her breath, thinking that no one had heard her, but she hadn't realised that Barry had come up behind her.

"Ah, no cussing love. At least not as Sapphire. You're a role model, remember?" Barry smirked at her when she rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to double check on the prisoners, everyone else back to Watchtower for debriefing," Superman instructed, and they followed Diana to the other side of the island, boarding the familiar black jet/ship that would be taking them into space.

The debrief had run rather quickly, and Sophia was sure it was because Diana was tired from the fight. Everyone looked worn out and she was sure that she wasn't the only one with aching bones, and injuries that needed to be treated. During the meeting, she let her fingers travel to the back of her head, just underneath her hairline to feel for anything there. Besides what seemed to be a massive bruise forming, she didn't feel any tearing of skin, or bleeding, something she was thankful for. But considering it was her head, she needed to go to the med-bay once this was over just to check that there was no internal bleeding or swelling.

She also noted in the meeting that Barry had a ghastly looking cut on his right upper arm. The suit he was wearing had been slicer through clean, and the blood had dried, leaving a crusty formation on top of the laceration to keep it from bleeding.

The Martian Man-Hunter had done a scan of her head using his x-ray vision, and she was all clear to go. Besides a few cuts and bruises, she was going to live another day, and without too much trouble. Barry on the other hand needed his arm to be cleaned and stitched before he got an infection.

Sophia insisted that Jones she would be more than capable of taking care of her husband. After all, in real life she was a nurse, working in the bay was second nature. Considering that everyone on board knew their secret identities, she didn't see the point in wearing her mask and so she hastily removed it, retracting her cape into her suit, feeling much more comfortable without the weight of it trailing behind her. She quickly tied her hair back before scrubbing her hands clean of dirt and blood that had matted it before grabbing the equipment she needed.

"Take it off."

"Sorry, _what_?" Barry said, not stuttering in the slightest In fact, there was a smirk on his face as she watched him with tired eyes.

"Your suit. Take. It. Off," She spoke slowly, enunciating each word.

" _Honey_ , at least wait til we get home," Barry joked and she had the urge to punch his arm, but then she remembered that he had injured it and she was annoyed at him.

"If you don't take it off now, then you won't have anything to wait for at home," Sophia countered, crossing her arms as she waited for him. All he needed to do was remove the top half of his suit which wouldn't be hard.

"Sure, sure, removing shirt," Barry muttered under his breath and she giggled at his quick change of attitude. Her husband was a dork.

But he was her dork and she loved him for it.

"So want to tell me how you managed to get sliced?" Sophia asked, as she threw on some gloves, and started to clean the wound, wiping at the blood with an alcohol swipe.

"Green Lantern, _well,_ the CSA Green Lantern, decided jumbo throwing knives would be a fun game," Barry said, wincing lightly as she threaded the needle through his skin, nearly finishing up with the stitches.

"You need to be more careful next time," Sophia berated, a frown taking place on her forehead. She knew that it came with the job, but she hated to see him get hurt, and she never wanted to see him suffer through pain, no matter how big or small.

" _Ouch_ ," Barry complained as she finished it up. "I could say the same thing, love," Barry commented, his eyes darting from her golden brown jewels down to her neck where the skin was sore and red from being strangled.

It enraged him that his evil counterpart had done the damage, but he knew that there was nothing he could do to change what happened.

"I'm sorry," She whispered. "I'm just stressed, and you know I hate to see you hurt."

"And you think I don't?" Barry asked, taking her hands in his own once she had thrown her gloves out. "Does it hurt?" He asked, his eyes still gazing at the fingerprints _he_ left on her neck.

"No, it's alright," She said in a soft voice, leaning into his touch. His hands had wandered from her own to lightly brush over her neck. Now that she had leaned in to him, he moved forward and peppered her with light kisses on the spots with bruises, leaving her breathless.

"That feels nice," She murmured, her eyelids slowly closing as she relaxed under the light feather movements of his lips against her skin.

"A kiss always makes it better." She opened her eyes, gazing down at him with a mischief.

"Mmm, I think my lips might have gotten hurt in the battle too you know," She mused a flirtatious glint in her eye. "Do you want to help me out with those?"

"As your husband, I do think it is my responsibility," Barry trailed off, a grin slowly playing on his lips as he moved forward, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.

If there was one thing to come back to after a mission, it was her lips.

"I love you," She mumbled against his lips and he smiled, tilting his head slightly in an attempt to move closer to her, his tongue moving against the seam of her lips, causing her to gasp in pleasure. He was just about to reply with the sentiment when GL waltzed into the room, shrieking in horror as he watched his two team mates in a lip lock.

" _Really guys_? Can't you save that for the bedroom?" Green Lantern groaned. He had known working on the team with a married couple would end up with scenes like this, but he had innocently walked in there in the hopes of catching a quick nap, too tired to travel back to his apartment on Earth, when he had walked into the make-out session of the year.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Sophia said, finding it hard to hold back her laughter.

"Sorry… _not sorry_ ," Barry said, throwing GL a wicked grin as Sophia dragged him out of the room, heading for the teleports, ready to head home after a long and exhausting day.

* * *

 **A / N –**

 **Posting this in celebration of the final chapter for** _ **Fight or Flight**_ **that I published a few days ago.**

 **Leave a review, and a prompt!**

 **Thank you for all your continued support. Be sure to follow for Sarry goodness that will be posted on this story whilst the Sequel is in the works. I've already managed to write the first 2 chapters, and the 3** **rd** **is on its way to being finished soon.**

 **Big thanks to all the new followers of this story, and thank you to Shadowhunters12 and Natalie for the reviews.**

 **Til next time.**

 **Heroherondale. x**


	8. Keep Holding On

**AU** Prompt for Shadowhunters12 – Sophia meeting Nora Allen for the first time…but not in the most conventional of ways, and probably not how she wanted at all, but work with me.

Note: Sophia and Barry are probably around 20-21 years old in this, whereas in Fight or Flight they are 24-25, but it doesn't matter cos this is totally AU anyways.

Keep Holding On

Being a nurse meant that it was in Sophia's nature to be a compassionate person. To want to be there for others, to always lend a helping hand. So as she sat there on the morning bus, stuck in traffic and tired as hell from the night's previous shift, she wasn't feeling all that compassionate. But when her eyes had hastily met the stranger sitting across from her, and she noticed the way he sat with slumped shoulders and silent tears falling, she knew that she couldn't just sit there and not do a thing. Not at least without feeling guilty for it later. He looked like he needed a friendly face, maybe even a shoulder to cry on, and frankly it was his cute face that started to pull at her heart strings.

So she moved over, and sat down next to him in the empty spot. It was silent again for a moment before she heard a small sob escape his mouth. She frowned, and turned her head, noticing the white flowers that he gripped in his right hand, the other laying limp on his lap.

"Are you okay?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. He was a perfect stranger, but here she was, trying to offer him some comfort. He looked visibly distressed, and he seemed to be around her age. She expected the typical response from young boys in their twenties. Probably some off remark about how they'd be alright, or that it was none of her business being a stranger and all, but only honest words tumbled off his lips.

"No, I feel like I'm falling apart all over again," He mumbled, biting down on his lower lip to prevent himself from crying further. His cheeks were flushed from the moment she sat down next to him. He felt positively embarrassed, having a stranger come up to him and ask him why he was crying, especially when he looked over and realised it was a young girl with gorgeous brown eyes.

"What's wrong? You're far too handsome to be crying on the bus all alone, especially at this time of the morning." Though Sophia's contained a light hint of teasing, her voice was as sweet as honey. She was using her _nurse_ voice. The same voice she used to comfort the kids at the hospital when they were feeling down, or just tired of the world.

"It's the anniversary of my mother's death," He managed to get out. "It's been nearly ten years."

 _I'm sorry._

She thought the words but didn't dare speak them aloud. She knew from her own experience how she loathed the phrase. It's not like anyone had caused it, and the words lost their meaning after people repeated it over and over to her throughout the years.

"Is that where you're heading now? To the cemetery?" She asked in a soft voice, and he nodded in response, wiping away the few tears that had leaked onto his cheek with the back of his hand.

"It's just been a long time since I've gone, and I-I don't know if I can do it on my own," He admitted. He hadn't been to see his mother's grave in a few years at the very least. He just couldn't handle it anymore, the reality of it all, so he had ignored it and buried it in the back of his mind. But then he had realised this morning that it was the anniversary of her death, and it had been a decade since he had lost her, and it made him realise what a terrible son he had been by not visiting her. But in saying that, he wasn't sure if he had the courage to go through with it.

Sophia stared at him for a moment longer, biting her lip as she thought his words through. It was obvious that he was trying to go and visit her, but he didn't seem to have the courage to go alone, but there he was on the bus, crying silently, not drawing attention- at least not trying to- himself as he travelled to Central City Cemetery.

"What the hell." She let out a heavy sigh and at the change in her tune he looked up at her, his eyes still watery, but his vision not as blurred as before. "My shift starts in an hour and a half, I can make it," She mused to herself looking down at the watch on her wrist. She had been in this same position nearly fifteen years ago, and she wished that someone would have been there for her. She wasn't about to let this poor guy go there by himself. Even though he was a stranger, and for all she knew, a possible criminal, there was something about the way he held himself that made her feel at ease. Besides, she was trained in self-defence and she knew how to take care of herself.

"W-What?" He stuttered out confused.

"I'll come with you to visit your mom," She said simply, as though she had been friends his entire life.

"Y-You don't have to do that."

"I know I don't. I don't even know your name, but I'm offering to come if you would like the company," Sophia said, leaving the choice up to him.

His eyes glanced down and he recognised that she was in a uniform of some sort, and judging by the dark colour of her scrubs, he could only assume that she was a nurse, working in a hospital. His heart felt warm at her offer, but he felt guilty for pulling her out of her daily routine because she had bumped into him crying on a bus, on what could possibly be his most off day ever.

"I-I would like that, if you don't mind-that is," He said and she smiled nodding, turning back to face the front of the bus.

"I think it's the next stop," She mentioned and he looked out the window and recognised where they were. It was only another two blocks. He hummed in agreement.

"I'm Barry, by the way," He told her, his voice soft, still sore from the crying session he had prior to getting onto the bus.

"Sophia," She said with a smile, shaking the hand he had held out for her.

They sat in silence for the rest of the bus ride, and even the walk into the cemetery. Sophia walked side by side with the stranger, but left a decent amount of space between their bodies as they crossed the green grass further into the graveyard. Sophia hadn't been to a graveyard in at least two years. The last time she had been was to visit her own mother's grave, back in Kansas. But with her work here in Central City, and her expensive apartment, she was living from pay check to pay check and she hadn't had a chance to even think about saving up for a ticket back home. Usually her father would be the one to travel and visit her, and so she hadn't been home in a while. The more she thought about it and the situation she was in, she knew that she would have to go back soon.

They finally reached the tombstone and carved into the light grey stone was the name _Nora Allen, 1959-2000._ She stood by his side as he leaned down on one knee, placing the white tulips on a small patch of grass just in front of the tombstone.

She noticed that when he tried to speak next, he fumbled with his words and he looked like he was going to burst out into tears again. If it wasn't so sad, she would have found the childish look on his face almost endearing and cute, but all it made her want to do was wrap him in a hug and protect him from the world. She frowned at this thought, wondering where the hell it had come from. She didn't even know him. She yelled at herself internally before she grabbed his hand, holding onto it and giving him a smile of encouragement. It seemed to work and he relaxed his shoulders a bit before opening his mouth, this time speaking clearer than before. He greeted his mother and apologised for not coming to visit in such a long time, he spoke about mundane things that she drowned out after a few minutes that was until he mentioned her name. He spoke aloud about how she had come to his rescue and she flushed a light pink, avoiding his gaze as he praised her aloud. He then urged her to say hello and she shook her head, a grin itching at the corner of her lips as she let go of his hand, taking a step forward and introduction herself to Nora. She teased him a little bit, but told Nora that he was stronger than he looked, after all he managed to get here in the end, even if it was with a little bit of help.

Barry watched her with eyes of adoration. He had never known anyone in his entire life to be so kind. He guessed that it must have come with her job, but not anyone would just do what she had, and he was so thankful.

They hadn't spent more than ten minutes with Nora, but it seemed like it had been forever, and Barry found that he was losing himself as he stared at her, watching as the sun glinted in her eyes, bringing out a golden brown that was hidden before. His heart skipped a beat and he averted his eyes back to the ground, berating himself for his thoughts. She had been so nice to him and all he could think about was the way her messy curls framed her face perfectly, and how he thought the freckles scattered across her cheekbones suited her.

"Thank you for coming with me. I'm a perfect stranger, and you're kindness knows no bounds," Barry praised and she had to admit that a light pink blush rose to her cheeks. Now that he had a proper smile on his face and the tears had tried she had a proper look at him, and she was internally screaming because he was in fact, quite good-looking.

"I know that when my mother died I wanted someone there by my side, but it just didn't happen. If I could change that for one person, then why the hell not," She said with a smile, and suddenly his gaze grew heavy as he looked at her. Maybe it was from her confession, or maybe it was the fact that she had done what no one else would have bothered to. She broke the silence with a cough before glancing down at her watch. "I better go, otherwise I'm going to be late for my shift."

"Thank you again," Barry said. He didn't want her to leave, in fact he wanted to ask to see her again, to thank her, but it seemed like she was in a rush, and he knew that it would take more than a second for him to build up his courage again. Today had asked a lot of his non-existent bravery.

"Not worries, handsome." She gave him a quick wave and turned around, bolting for the bus stop. As she walked away she could feel the hot blush that riddled her cheeks and she prayed that he hadn't noticed. _Where the hell did that come from?_ She berated herself. She was flirting with this poor guy in the middle of a cemetery. _Nice work, Lang. This is why you haven't had a proper date in two years._

Barry stood there stunned as he watched her rush away to work, and he felt something he hadn't in a long time. He looked back down at his mother's grave, a grin now erupting on his face. He felt so much better.

 _She's a special one._ He knew that he would be seeing her again, he would make sure of it.

* * *

A week had passed since her act of kindness, and she was sure that if she had told anyone she would have been declared good Samaritan of the year, because that morning on the way to work she had helped an old lady onto the bus and then gotten off a stop early to help her cross the road to the medical centre she was heading towards, leaving her to walk the extra mile to work in the muggy weather.

Even though she sighed as she looked up, spotting the stormy clouds from a mile away, she knew that she wouldn't have changed her mind regardless of the weather. She wasn't about to let the old lady who greatly resembled her late grandmother walk alone in the possibly rainy weather and risk getting hurt.

She zipped up her hoodie, shovelling her hands into the pockets in an attempt to keep warm, praying that it didn't rain… at least not until she got to the warm and safe confines of Central City hospital. But obviously her good deeds hadn't been enough to keep her wishes. The rain pelted down, large drops splashing against her skin and scrubs as she ran the last few hundred metres to the hospital, hoping that she didn't slip on the sidewalk.

"Ah, finally you show up for work," Liv teased as she watched Sophia walk into the nursing bay with wet hair, and a sour expression. Liv had to admit though, dripping wet Sophia still looked better than she did with a full night's sleep. She attributed it to her young age, and Liv wished that she was ten years younger.

"Sorry, I got caught up. I was helping an old lady cross the road, and so I had to get off at an earlier stop, and then it started to rain and-," Sophia was beginning to ramble and Liv just laughed, cutting her off.

"Alright, alright I believe you, Miss goody-two-shoes," Liv said and Sophia visibly relaxed. "Oh, and there's a delivery for you at the front desk."

"Me?" Sophia questioned with a raised brow.

"Yup, brought in early this morning, but the cutie who brought it in was going to be late for work, so I told him I would personally see to it that you received it," Liv said with a proud smile.

" _Him_?!" Sophia's eyes were nearly popping out of her sockets. "A-Are you sure it's for me?" She pointed at herself.

"Well he only knew that your name was Sophia, but his description was pretty accurate. Brown eyes that shine like gold in the sunlight, and a head of messy curls, not to mention the freckles," Liv teased and Sophia flushed a bright red.

"N-No way," She breathed out. "Did he leave his name?"

"Why don't you go check the delivery out? He left a card," Liv said and Sophia didn't waste a second in running down a flight of stairs in their two levelled ward to reach the front desk. When her eyes had fallen on the gift she was sure that the flush was now permanent on her cheeks.

" _Holy shit_ ," She breathed out as she slowed her steps, walking towards the mountain of white roses that were wrapped up in a red paper. Serena who was sitting at the front reception had laughter written all over her face as she watched Sophia's reaction.

Sophia's finger brushed against the soft petals, and she leaned forward taking a quick whiff, the pleasant scent filling her senses. Attached on the side was a small card, and she took it, opening it up hastily, throwing the tiny envelope onto the side, her behaviour eliciting a small giggle from Serena.

 _I know this doesn't even compare to what you did for me the other day, but I wanted to show you my appreciation for your everlasting kindness. You deserve the world and more, and I know I can't give you that, so dinner at 8 tonight? My treat, I insist. – Barry Allen._

She flipped the card over, trying not to think about the warmth that spread throughout her chest at the attention he was giving her. Scribbled on the back was his number, and the name of the restaurant. No matter how hard she tried, a grin was taking over her pink lips and she let out a small giggle, something she wasn't known for.

She picked up the bouquet of roses, and held them close to her face again, her cheeks blazing as she glanced at the card again. She was totally going to dinner.

Exhausted, yes. But she was dressed to impress.

A simple yet elegant black dress was effortlessly draped across her body, reaching her knees, the boat neck bringing out her slender shoulders into the warm light of the night. She wore little to no jewellery, spare the necklace her mother had given her, the sapphire stone resting on her chest, sparkling in the light as she moved.

She glanced down at her phone, seeing that it was 8pm. She hadn't replied to his message, in the hopes of being mysterious. _Actually_ , that was a lie. She was so caught up in her work, and thinking about what to wear that she realised she hadn't even called or messaged him back, letting him know that she accepted his invitation to dinner, and she felt like an absolute idiot because she only realised this at 7:30pm and she figured since she had left it so late that she may as well roll with it. She had a feeling that he would be there regardless.

And that feeling was right, because a moment later, she spotted him walking towards her, as she stood outside the front of the Japanese restaurant he had chosen. She took this opportunity to let her eyes trail over his form. He was dressed in simple black slacks that were tailored to his long lean legs, the top button open of the navy blue shirt he was wearing, popped open. She wouldn't have thought that the blue would bring out the green flecks in his eyes but they did and the moment they made contact with her own, she was a goner.

"I didn't know if you would come," Barry said with a smile, now closer to her than before. She blinked, giving him a shy smile as she focused on his words and not how good he looked in that outfit. _Is he a model or something_? She also noted how tall Barry was, having not paid much attention to that the other day when she was too busy trying to come up with words of comfort.

"Sorry, I was caught up with a mountain of work, and it just slipped my mind," Sophia apologised and he shook his head, indicating that it was no problem at all. "Thank you for the flowers by the way, they were beautiful."

"I'm glad that you liked them. I-I was worried that I would have given it to the wrong person. It took me a while to figure out where you worked," Barry said, and then his eyes widened as he realised that sounded a bit creepy. "I mean- Not that I'm stalking you or anything, _I just_ \- I wanted to thank you," Barry fumbled with his words and she let out a laugh, finding it adorable.

"It's okay, really. If it wasn't, I wouldn't be here," She said with a reassuring smile.

"How about we head in and we can get to know each other better over dinner."

"Lead the way, handsome," She added boldly at the end, enjoying the way he blushed as he took her arm. Even though it terrified her to flirt like that, especially on the first date, she noted that he seemed more relaxed and it definitely made it a night to remember.

* * *

 **A / N – This is so sad but cute and I hope you all liked it. I've been stressing majorly because my finals are in a week and I am so behind and not prepared at all. And I've been getting this ridiculous pain in my right side, and the doctors aren't sure what it is, and I've been trying to take pain killers, but nothing seems to get rid of it. So let's just pray that it isn't my appendix that's about to burst or something…**

 **So I probably won't get much done on the writing front for the sequel, but I definitely have more one-shots already prepared to post, so expect another next in the next week, or maybe earlier if you're lucky.**

 **Please review, and thank you to all those that reviewed on the last one-shot, you all seemed to be enjoying some of the Justice League scene, and Barry + Sophia's established marriage. I'll try and write some more, so send in some JL prompts. E.g. would you like to see them on another mission, late night patrols etc.**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	9. Skinny Love

*AU Based off this post: post/124767775700/disability-aus

Note: TW for anyone who has had cancer, or family members that have suffered through it. My grandfather, and best friend have had cancer, so I know what it's like if you want to talk about it at all, but there's nothing graphic or anything like that in here. It's actually quite fluffy. But this is just a heads up in case you don't want to read about it at all. X

Skinny Love

There was a rustling of bed sheets, and Sophia could hear the muffled sound of voices coming from the bed next to her. The light blue curtains shielded her from the stranger's conversation, but their light banter and the sound of footsteps had woken her up. She glanced over to the radio-clock placed on her bedside to see that it was only seven am. She closed her eyes and tried not to groan. She had her chemotherapy scheduled for nine am. Which meant she had two hours to prepare. This meant two hours to get washed up, blood drawn, and her IV prepped. She glanced at her sore arm, the skin on her elbow splattered with light red dots from where the needle had pierced her skin repeatedly over the last few months. There was already a cannula inserted into her right hand, but it had been in there for three days, and it needed to be changed. She frowned, no looking forward to the discomfort that it would bring.

"Good morning Sophia, how are you feeling today?" The windows were then opened, the blinds folding up methodically, opening the doorway for sunlight to slowly trickle into the room as the sun arose, ready for the day.

"Fine, the same as usual," Sophia mumbled, trying to give the nurse Jane the best smile she could muster. But if she was being completely honest, after four weeks of consecutive chemotherapy, it was starting to get to her. She had never had treatment every day for this long. It had been split up in intervals. But the doctors were worried that it was moving to stage IV thyroid cancer, and to prevent this from happening, her dosage and the frequency was increased. Most of her hair had fallen out due to alopecia and she was constantly wearing a beanie to keep her head warm from the cold that thrashed outside the hospital windows, working its way through the cracks in the walls and targeting her as she slept. Her muscles and bones ached, as though they had been pounded for hours on end, and she felt lethargic pretty much all the time. She had no energy to converse with people, and she preferred to sit in silence, in the bed that was draped with cosy woollen blankets made by her friends, and some calming classical music playing from the small radio by her bedside table. She kept herself occupied with literature, and she had no short supply of it. The small cupboards next to her were practically filled entirely with books, only housing a few bits and pieces of clothing from home.

"Lovely to hear that. Why don't I help you up, and you can get washed up?" Jane proposed and Sophia nodded in response. Jane walked to her bed, picking up the remote on the side and holding down the button, allowing the back to be raised and for Sophia to sit up with ease.

"I'll bring over your stuff, just wait a moment." The nurse gathered her a few towels, and helped her find some new clean clothes in the drawers by her beside, helping her walk over to the shower as best as she could with the IV pole that was connected to her. This time Sophia had insisted that she shower herself. She was no longer embarrassed about having another person see her body, after her long stay in hospital it had become something she had gotten used to, but if she was to ever recover and get home, and be able to be independent again then she needed to start taking care of herself as much as possible. She found that it was easier than she thought. The hardest part was not getting her clothes wet in the shower, but other than that she had managed on her own, and that small victory brought a smile to her tired face.

It was a half hour later that Sophia was dressed in a pair of comfortable loose clothing, with her beanie on, and her teeth and face washed. She felt more refreshed, and wanted to hang onto this feeling, knowing that in a couple of hours she would feel low once again. Since she was receiving treatment later today she wasn't allowed to have breakfast, and she could feel her stomach rumbling. She knew that in a few hours she would be able to eat something, but for now she was just trying to focus on not feeling hungry. She knew that it was because if she ate something it would most likely come back up, and she was already more acquainted with vomiting than she would have liked to be.

"Mind if I open the curtains? You have a new roommate," Jane asked and Sophia shrugged her shoulders. She didn't mind at all. That must have been the sound she heard this morning. She knew that the hospital got busy every now and then, and her room, though it was meant to be private, was occasionally used for two people. She was just glad she was passed the isolation stage of her cancer. There was a point where her immune system had been so weak in the first stages of treatment that she wasn't allowed any visitors, and anyone to enter her room would be wearing bright purple gloves and gowns, even masks. It made her feel like some sort of diseased specimen even though she knew that they had to do it to reduce the risk of infection for her safety. Now past that stage, she had a few roommates over the time she spent in hospital. Every few days someone was getting discharged, and a new admission would come into the oncology ward. She just happened to be the lucky individual that stayed, waving goodbye as the other strangers were able to go home. But she was at least glad to see others healing and moving on, even if it wasn't her time just yet.

The curtain was pulled open in one swift movement, and Sophia's heart nearly shot out of her chest. Before her, sitting on the other bed was possibly the most attractive guy she had ever seen in her 24 years of existence. She blinked, taking in his appearance for a second longer than deemed appropriate, and then glanced down at what she was wearing and blushed. She suddenly felt self-conscious, sitting there in her woollen jumper with a pale face that probably looked far too tired for someone who was resting in bed most of the time. He had gorgeous green eyes, and though his hair was short, the brown mess on his head made her envious for a second. He was sitting up in his bed, a loose grey jumper on as he sat underneath the white blankets, a book in hand.

"I'm going to go grab your medication, I'll be back soon. Maybe introduce yourself to your new roomie," Jane whispered to Sophia who had flushed an even darker pink when his eyes met hers.

"Hi there, I'm Barry," He said with a heart-warming grin. Small dimples appeared on his cheeks when he smiled and Sophia thought it was the most adorable thing ever, the sort of thing that made you want to write poetry, but now she was getting cheesy.

" _Hi_ ," Sophia replied meekly. She hadn't had a lot of interaction with the male population other than the rotation of nurses, or her doctor. "I-I'm Sophia," She introduced herself, mentally face-palming at how nervous her voice sounded. But it was hard to maintain composure when he was so cute.

It was silent for a moment as they just stared at each other, when Sophia found her voice again.

"Are you here for chemo treatment as well?" Sophia asked Barry, hoping her question wasn't too intrusive. But if it was, he didn't leave an indication of it on his face.

"Yeah," He nodded, swinging his legs off the side of his bed as he now sat facing her, finding it easier to carry the conversation. "Acute Leukaemia," Barry said with a nonchalance that she was jealous of. "You?"

"Nearing stage IV Thyroid cancer." Her fingers came up to brush the base of her neck gingerly, feeling the small scar from where they had completed a biopsy only a few months ago. The mark was healed, but the light pink scar that marred her skin would forever be a reminder of it.

"How long?" Barry asked in curiosity, leaning on the edge of his bed so he was closer.

"A few months now..." She replied awkwardly. "As soon as they found it, I was put on treatment straight away." He nodded in response, his eyes glancing down at the scar, but instead of giving her eyes of sympathy like most did, he just offered her a warm smile that melted her insides- metaphorically of course. "You?"

"Well if you count the first bout of AML I went through when I was fourteen, and then this now, it's been about 12 years of on and off treatment," Barry said, causing Sophia's face to drop at his confession.

"T-this is the second time?" She asked, her words muffling together slightly. She felt a deep sense of guilt for feeling envious of his previous nonchalance. He was probably that way because the poor thing had suffered through it for over a decade, on and off.

"I'm real lucky."

"That's one way of putting it."

It was a moment later that Jane came back in the room with another nurse, named Caitlin that Sophia had met before, bringing their medications with them. Their conversation was put on pause until they were set up, and the administration process of the chemo had begun. They were sitting in their beds comfortably, and though they weren't facing each other, after they were left alone in the room, their conversation continued, and they kept each other company all day long, bonding over bad hospital food and childhood memories as they got to know each other.

"Favourite song?" Barry asked.

"Secrets," Sophia replied without hesitation.

"One Republic," They spoke at the same time, a grin on their faces.

"I _love_ that song."

"Yeah, it's always been a favourite of mine," Sophia spoke with a smile.

"Movie series?" Sophia asked next, as they continued their game of 20 questions that had somehow extended to at least over a hundred by this point. She couldn't help it, he was a gem, and he distracted her from the nauseating feeling in her stomach better than the anti-emetics she was administered an hour ago.

"Somewhere between Harry Potter and Star Wars… reminds me of my childhood."

"Are we like the same person or something?"

"I think it just means we're a match made in heaven," Barry teased in a flirtatious tone, sending a rush of heat through her. She was sure that her cheeks were flaming red and she avoided his gaze before asking another question, changing the subject, but the grin remained painted on her lips.

And that's how it went that day, and the next and the next, as they kept each other company.

* * *

7 weeks had passed and Sophia had just finished her treatment. She felt like absolute crap, but she managed to wear a smile on her face at the thought of returning home to her cat, and roommate/best friend Anna.

Sophia's smile drooped as she turned her head over to see the empty bed next to her. Barry had finished his treatment and after spending two weeks there he had been released, sent home to rest as he battled the last stages of his cancer. She was relieved to find out that he was sent home not to live out his last days, but because his x-rays, scans and blood tests had all come back clear, no sign of the malignant cells floating through his blood, meaning there were no more cancerous cells in his body. So he was sent home to relax through his remission, and though Sophia was elated that he was getting better, she was upset that she was yet again alone in the hospital room.

Anna came every few days, but due to working three jobs now to help support Sophia's side of the rent whilst she was… incapacitated, it was hard for her to spend more than an hour at a time visiting, leaving Sophia lonely.

Sophia was brought out of her thoughts a moment later when her phone buzzed. She opened it up to see a text message from Anna, but it was not what she had expected.

 _Soph, I am so sorry. I got called in for an extra shift down at the station. I promise I'll be home tonight. I've left you a little present, hope you enjoy it. I'm excited to see you back a home. There's food in the fridge, and some of your favourites baked and packed away for you. Love you Soph. – Anna_

Though Sophia was sad to hear that she would be going home alone, she was glad that she had a friend like Anna who was there for her. She was practically family. Though she wondered what she meant about the present. She sighed, placing her phone in her bag as she moved to grab her coat, wrapping it around her body tight, securing it with the belt at the waist. She took off her beanie, running a hand through the short hair that had started to grow back. The last three weeks she had been on lower doses of chemo, and it was slowly starting to grow back. She had a short boy cut, and figured in a few more weeks it would grow out to a pixie cut, and then another few months a bob, and soon it would be back to the length it once was. But she did have to admit that it was terribly convenient to have it this short for showering. It took less than a minute to wash and then a few to dry, rather than the nearly twenty minutes it took when it was past her shoulders. Though this was the case, she missed the bounce of her curls, and hoped that her hair wouldn't take too long to grow.

"Mind if I come in?" A voice asked, that same voice that sent her heart spiralling in her chest with excitement.

Sophia turned around so fast she nearly tripped over her own feet. Standing before her was Barry Allen, who she hadn't seen in more than a month. Just seeing him standing in front of her, his face flushed and not the pale colour it use to be when he was laying sick in bed. She noted that he looked much taller than he previously appeared, and Sophia wasn't even sure how that was possible. Maybe it was because he wasn't slouching in discomfort, but she had to admit that either way, Barry Allen still stole her breath every time she gazed at him. She felt ridiculous for feeling so, but she did nothing to brush these feelings of enamour away.

"Barry," Sophia breathed out.

"Sophia," Barry said with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with a confused frown as she looked down. If she was being honest with herself, she had developed deep feelings for him over the time they spent together. At first she just thought it was a little crush, after all he was devilishly handsome in her eyes, and he had the most attractive personality she had ever met. When he left, she was sad, but over time she realised that she yearned for his company again, and she knew then that it was more than just a simple infatuation.

"Taking you home."

"What?" She asked, and then it clicked in her head. Anna must have been referring to Barry as the _present_ and she flushed red in an instant, but he was too busy talking to notice.

"Anna, she called me. Said she couldn't make it and so I offered. I'm feeling much better now, and I was given the all clear, so I told her I would take care of you," Barry explained, pulling out a bouquet of tulips from behind his back and handing them to her. She looked at him with bright eyes, widening as she spotted the flowers.

"How did you know that they were my favourite?"

"You might have mentioned it late at night one time," Barry said and she let out a breathy laugh, taking them with a thanks.

"You shouldn't have," she said, looking down at the beautiful flowers, biting her bottom lip as she thought about the gesture.

"I wanted to." His words caused her to look up at him, and she noted that she wasn't wearing her beanie just yet. She felt a rush of embarrassment, scratching her neck awkwardly before turning around to grab it off the bed, reaching up to throw it over her head when Barry's hand caught her wrist.

"No- you don't need to cover it up," Barry said, his green gaze meeting her brown eyes.

"I-I don't-"Sophia stuttered, struggling to find the words to say.

"You look beautiful regardless Soph," Barry told her this time his words coming out smoother than before. His heart warmed in his chest when he noted the light pink that donned her cheeks after his compliment.

"Thanks." Barry Allen saw right through her façade, surprisingly quickly after only knowing her for a few weeks.

"So what do you say we get you out of here?" Barry asked, his lips twitching into a smile. He had missed Sophia more than he had let on to his friends who had badgered him about the girl he was smitten with from the hospital. Now that he was better he wasn't going to leave anything to chance.

"I say, lead the way," Sophia said with a grin. He beamed at her, linking his arm through her own, his other hand grabbing the overnight bag that she had finished packing next to her bed.

* * *

It was now two months later, and laughter echoed in their ears a sound that seemed to grace them every time they hung out. They spent countless of hours together, whether it was in person, lounging on her couch or facetiming from their respective homes. She was so glad that she had found a friend in Barry Allen, one she knew would be in her life for a long time to come. He had even introduced her to his family, and she had quickly become fast friends with Nora and Henry Allen, as well as their close friends known as the Wests.

But tonight was movie night, something they had started a regular thing off, and she had been bouncing around her apartment in excitement that morning at the very thought of spending the evening with Barry. Sophia and Barry were lounging on her couch, eating homemade pizza courtesy of Anna, and enjoying each other's company. It felt like old times.

Sophia paused their conversation, walking to her liquor cabinet in their kitchen, and grabbing the most expensive bottle of champagne she could find. Pouring out two drinks she carefully carried the flutes into the room. She plopped down on the couch beside Barry handing him a glass, receiving a raised brow in response.

"What are we celebrating?" Barry asked.

"Some good news that I received this morning," Sophia said, biting her lip as Barry urged her to go on.

"I have an upcoming scan in a few weeks, regular check-up, but other than that, I have been officially declared cancer free," Sophia smiled, tears of joy and relief welling up in her eyes. She had gotten the call this morning, and dread had settled in her bones when the doctor first spoke to her, but after a few more minutes, he gave her the most relieving news she could have ever hoped for. She remembered crying tears of joy, and thanking the doctor and the hospital for all they had done. The specialists, doctors and nurses had all been so helpful and without them she knew she wouldn't have made it through the treatment.

Barry let out laugh, taking her glass and placing it on the table alongside his own before swooping her up into a tight hug, holding her close against his chest. Her head rested against his muscled chest, and she could hear his heart beating away like a drum.

"To being free." Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him, and he was sure that the stars resided in her eyes.

"To meeting you."

Their glasses clanked against each other, both moving to take a sip of their drinks, neither retreating from the heated gazes they were sending each other. It only broke for a moment as Sophia moved to place their now empty glasses on the table and when she looked back up, Barry was still watching her.

"Can I kiss you now?"

"Hell yeah," Sophia breathed out, moving forward to meet his lips as he pulled her into his arms, holding her close, just as she dreamed of when she met him for the first time.

Somehow, in the midst of the mess of their lives, and their bad luck, they had managed to find each other. And because of that, Barry and Sophia knew that they were the luckiest people on earth.

* * *

 **A / N – This is based off an AU on tumblr.**

 **Thought it would be cute and adorable. I know that most of these AUs start off with them not being in a relationship, but I just find it adorable and so easy to write.**

 **Thanks for the new follows/reviews, they mean the world, especially in such a stressful time, they're always a nice reminder of why I love to write, and who I'm writing for!**

 **ALSO if anyone has seen the season finale of the flash, s2, HOW INSANE WAS THAT ENDING THOUGH? No spoilers here, but if you want to talk about it, go ahead and PM me. I was left so emotionally compromised.**

 **Replies:**

 **AndySteve1311: Aww, sorry I tricked you! HAHA, I know it's weird right? I was watching an episode just the other day and I was imaging where Sophia would pop up should she be a character on the show, it's all a bit crazy. But if only that were real. #sigh. Yes, yes, and yes. I've got those two lined up now, they just have to be written… when I get some time. Still have no idea where the pain came from, but it did go away so thank you so much. I feel a lot better than I did last week. Thanks again for the lovely review!**

 **xXAlyaIsMyBaeXx: Yeah, I was originally going to have her alive in that AU, but then I couldn't decide how I wanted it to happen and I just started writing, and that's what happened. Glad that you thought it was cute. Thank you so much! I recovered from the pain, haven't felt it in a few days which is great, but I have a cold now because it's heading into winter where I live, and the weather is quite bad. Thank you for the review as well! X**

 **Til next time.**

 **Heroherondale.**


	10. Fall Into My Arms

Fall into my arms

When Cisco had joked with Barry that morning about the track star drooling over the mysterious girl he would see at the library in the late hours of the morning, saying how she had swept him off his feet, and he would fall into her arms, he had in no way meant it literally.

But apparently, that's what had happened this morning at the ungodly hour of 3am.

Why anyone was awake was a mystery, but then again, this was their last year of college, and finals were only a few days away. People were starting to get into weird studying routines and adopt bad habits of staying up late to cram as much content into their little feeble minds as possible before exams hit.

So when they had gone to visit Sophia in the library that seemed abandoned at this time of night, and Barry had promptly fainted, Cisco couldn't help but let out a strangled laugh. Barry had planned to pop by to say hello, knowing that she would be there that late. As well as the added fact that he finally wanted Cisco to discover that the mysterious girl Barry had been talking about was actually Sophia Lang, the cute barista from down the road who always had a bright smile on her lips, and an aura of coffee surrounding her person at all times.

"Hey Soph," Barry said, his voice shaky. He pulled his jacket closer, feeling slightly chilly.

"Hey, Barry," Sophia greeted with a smile, looking up from her textbook, peering up at him through her thick-rimmed glasses, a sight that he found was heart-warming at the very least. "Are you alright, you don't look to great?" Sophia asked with a frown, standing up from her seat and pressing a hand against his forehead, finding that it was hot. He looked like he was sweating. Light tremors wracked his body, and he looked dangerously pale.

"Yeah, you okay there bro? You look a bit pale," Cisco noticed as he turned to look at Barry standing next to him. Barry didn't have a chance to reply before his eyes rolled back into his head and his body started to collapse, falling to the ground. Sophia was quick in her actions, and caught his right arm, using all her strength to keep him from crashing to the ground while Cisco moved to grab his other side, carefully putting him on the ground and rolling him over on his side. He had practically fainted in her arms.

"Oh my god," Cisco let out a cry, as Sophia crouched down next to Barry's body, pressing her fingers to his wrist, feeling for a pulse. His heart rate was regular, but beating incredibly fast, and his face was still as white as a sheet. Not even ten seconds had passed when his eyelids shot open, and he looked dazed, unsure of what was happening.

"Barry? Can you hear me?" Sophia asked, him, placing a hand on his cheek, guiding his eyes to focus on her. His green eyes met hers and he tried his best to use them to bring him back. He was feeling all sorts of queasy and his vision was slightly blurry. "You're okay, you just fainted, how do you feel?"

"Dizzy," He managed to get out as she pulled her jacket off, revealing bare shoulders as she was left in a high neck black tank top. She folded it up and gently lifted his head up, placing it underneath. Barry sighed at the action, finding it more comfortable than from when his head was laying on the cold ground of the library floor.

"Mind grabbing my bag under the table there, Cisco?" She asked, and the boy jumped into action, bringing over the surprisingly heavy bag.

"Keep talking to him, make sure he's alert, I'm going to check his blood pressure," Sophia instructed Cisco as she opened her bag swiftly, pulling out her stethoscope and sphygmomanometer. She gave Barry a quick smile, pushing the sleeve of his shirt up on his right arm, attaching the cuff, and getting ready as she did a quick reading of his blood pressure while Cisco asked him a few random questions to make sure that he was still all there.

"Blood pressure is low, 70 on 45," Sophia said. "That's not good." She took the stethoscope out of her ears, hanging it around her neck casually as she instructed Cisco to help her sit Barry up carefully against the back of the wall adjacent to where he had just fallen. She didn't want to get him up just yet, fearing that as soon as he stood up, that his blood pressure would just rush back down again.

"I'm just going to check his blood sugar levels, he might have had a hypo," Sophia said, whipping out more equipment from the bag. Cisco watched her with crazy eyes.

"Why do you have all this stuff?" Cisco asked, watching her work in awe. She seemed very composed, and quite calm even though someone had just fainted on her.

"I'm in my final year of nursing, this is all my stuff I need for my prac," Sophia said with a laugh. "Handy huh? Never know when I'll need to check a handsome guy's blood pressure," Sophia joked seemingly lightening the mood. Barry seemed to be blushed lightly, and it was dangerously obvious against his pale skin.

"Have you had much to eat today?" Sophia asked, after seeing that his blood sugar was sitting at a 1 when it had to be at least a minimum of 4. She knew that he had a busy schedule in between classes, his part time job interning at Star Labs and his commitment to the track team.

"No, I've been too busy running around," Barry admitted, his face flushing with embarrassment. He had just fainted in front of the girl he was crushing on… into her arms. "I haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning."

"Cisco you wouldn't happen to have one of those lovely sugary drinks in your bag would you?" Sophia asked, and he nodded, quickly unzipping the satchel and whipping out a can of sugary goodness, passing it over to Barry.

"Slow sips," Sophia told Barry as she opened the can handing it over to him. His hands were still shaking and he couldn't hold the can straight. "Here, I got it." She placed her hand over his, and guided the can to his mouth, helping him hold it in place as he took sips of it. Sophia then sent Cisco in search of something for Barry to eat, and to grab a few bottles of water.

"How are you feeling now? Still feeling dizzy?" She asked, noting that the colour was starting to come back to his cheeks. His hands had stopped shaking and he looked like he was recovering from the hypoglycaemic attack.

"Better than before, thanks," Barry breathed out, closing his eyes for a second. It wasn't that he was feeling nauseas at this point in time, but he was feeling beyond mortified at the fact that this had happened…because it wasn't the first time. This had actually happened last month when he was hanging out with Wally West as they ran the track for the seventh time that day. He hadn't been drinking or eating as much as he should have, and his body collapsed out of sheer necessity for fuel to keep it going. He berated himself internally, he should have known better.

"You still with me, Barry?" Sophia asked, and he blinked his eyes open to meet her soft brown gaze. He gave her a small nod and she gave him a smile that sent his heart beat into a frenzy. She really didn't know the effect she had on him. If he didn't think that Sophia was a hero before then he was blind. She was too kind, and helping him like she had just right now made him realise how great she really was, and he hoped that he didn't screw up his chances with this embarrassing tumble of events, but knowing her, she wouldn't hold it against him.

"Where's Cisco?" Barry asked, noticing that his friend was missing.

"Sent him off to find you something to eat," Sophia explained. "Don't want you to faint again," She said and he groaned. "I guess I could say that you're falling for me, Allen," Sophia teased. She wasn't one for a lot of teasing, especially in the flirtatious tone she was using right now, but the look on Barry's face was totally worth it. It was a mix of embarrassment with a hint of smugness at it all. Like he had gotten something out of this all.

"I guess I am," Barry said with a low chuckle and she nudged his shoulder playfully, plopping down next to him against the wall as they waited in the quiet library for Cisco.

"Thanks for coming to my rescue." Barry turned his head slightly to look at her, his eyes immediately drawn to her lips before he quickly averted his gaze to her eyes, though that wasn't any better, he wasn't sure he would be able to take his eyes off her.

"Of course, what princess doesn't need her knight in shining armour," Sophia said leaning over to grab the can of soft drink in his hand, taking a large gulp. Her eyes glanced at her watch, seeing that it was nearing four am. No wonder she was feeling so exhausted.

"Hey, that's mine," Barry whined, taking the can back.

"Uh, just one more sip, I did save your life after all," Sophia said and Barry refused, shaking his head with a laugh.

"Mmm…No thanks," Barry said, chugging the rest of the drink in one hit, leaving an empty can behind. She was secretly glad that he had drank the whole can. It would bring his blood sugar level back up faster and keep him stable while they waited for Cisco to arrive back with something for Barry to eat.

"You suck," She groaned teasingly, leaning her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes for a moment, trying not to fall asleep. She was just…momentarily giving her eyes a break.

"You love me."

"I changed my mind," She whispered and he smiled at her words.

And that's how Cisco found them a half hour later, both leaning against each other with tired eyes, brightening up as soon as they saw him walk in, but he was sure that it was just because he had a large box of pepperoni pizza in his hand from the only 24 hour joint on campus.

He would then tease them about this same day four years later at their wedding in his best man speed, making sure to mention how Barry had fallen into Sophia's arms, how that very moment had instigated their relationship, one that would last a lifetime.

* * *

 **A / N – I live for college AUs and I thought this was adorable, and we get to see Sophia's nursing side in action, also cute and flustered Barry and a confused and exasperated Cisco. Again, lately I seem to be laying the fluff on super thick… I think it's because the sequel is so angsty.**

 **Replies:**

 **TabloidTeen: I am so elated that you liked it! Yeah, my grandpa has suffered with cancer of both the prostate and lung for nearly 8 years now. It's a heart wrenching disease for the person and everyone around them, and I wanted to write something happy for once, and I really wanted to give the two a good ending. OH my god, John Green killed us all when he had them both die. I cried so much when I read the Fault in our Stars. Love your reviews, they always bring a smile to my face. Thanks for your support!**

 **AndySteve1311: Yes, everyone's been saying the same, and it's a very sensitive topic/subject, but I wanted to do something nice and cute, so yeah, glad that you liked it and decided to give it a read. They're just too cute. AHAH really?! Oh that's adorable. Yeah, I watch episodes now and I'm like when's Sophia gonna jump in? Haha, I find that happens when I read stories that have other characters thrown into the world. OH, season 2 ending was a killer! I can't even imagine what they're going to do for season 3, the possibilities are endless. Thank you so much for the reviews, they are always a blessing.**

 **XXAlyaIsMyBaeXx: Aw, yeah. I mean working in hospitals, and having known people and family myself who have had cancer, I know first hand how it is, and how tough it can be. I wanted to write something positive about it and a nice happy ending, so I'm glad that you enjoyed it as well.**

 **Cho (guest): Thank you so much for your review! Oh my god, I am in love with Miraculous Ladybug, and yes I love that idea, and I'll definitely be writing something like that in the future. The love square is my life.**

 **Til next time.**

 **Heroherondale.**


	11. A Rose By Any Other Name

**Coffee shop AU** – Sophia/Barry – Fiesty!Sophia and Grouchy!Barry.

Prompt: Sophia is a barista, and Barry is a top notch detective working at the CCPD. He pays no attention to the staff whilst ordering the same Cappuccino, with two sugars and a shot of chocolate every day at exactly 7am. Due to his impolite behaviour, Sophia takes it upon herself to screw his name up every time, and after three months, for once, he decides to say something about it.

 **Note** : Romance and Humour. (Minor swearing)

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

It was just another day, another customer, another coffee.

In between working at the brewery and studying for finals, Sophia felt like she could never find a moment of peace. And so usually the time she spent at work was the only form of 'downtime' she would get where she was able to laugh with friends, and get a chance of pace, one that didn't involve drowning herself in endless essays waiting to be written, or scribbling notes away the night before the exam in an effort to retain at least some of the information.

She had been working at the coffee shop for approximately three months and five days…not that she was counting. And in this time, there was one particular customer that would arrive every day, 7am sharp, wearing a sharp navy blue suit, no tie and the top button popped open. His hair was always impeccably styled, and he walked with an air of grace that Sophia could only be jealous of.

The first time he had walked in, she swore that she had stopped breathing. But after she had served him, she scrunched her brow, wondering how the hell she had reacted that way. He was- to put it simply- a dickhead. An attractive dickhead, but one nonetheless. Every morning that he showed up, he would chat to the person on the other side of his blue-tooth device that sat in his ear. He would be chatting about something mediocre, or about his work she presumed, not that she cared. But he wouldn't respond with anything more than an "I'll take a large Cap, two sugars with a shot of chocolate." No greetings, no small talk and no goodbyes, not even a simple, hello. She thought that he would be courteous enough to at least, say that hello, or throw a smile to the staff that served him every day, but he couldn't even manage that.

She would have pegged him as a black coffee kind of guy, but she guessed his sweet tooth made up for the fact that he had a stick up his ass.

Since she had been put on as barista, now taken off register duty, she figured she would have a bit of fun with his order. She didn't change it at all, respecting what he had ordered. She also didn't want to be an ass back… after all he had paid for the drink. But she made sure to write his name wrong on the cup, calling it out aloud in the crowded café that housed the morning rush of students and workers needing their dose of coffee.

Barry Allen was his name. It suited him, but she wasn't going to tell him that any time soon…or at all. She doubted that he even spared a second glance at the name tag sitting on her chest, but she didn't fret over it. Usually it was something similar to his name, but just spelt incorrectly, but after no reaction from him, she decided to step her game up.

Barley Allen.

Berry Alyn.

Bart Allan.

Boris Alan.

Bear Alyn.

And the list went on, and on.

Harry Alien.

It was the last one that really got him. For what reason, she did not know, but it was hilarious nonetheless. He had strolled over, reaching to pick up his cup, when he looked down to see _Harry Alien_ scrawled across the cardboard that held the steaming caffeine.

"Really? My name doesn't even have a _H_ in it," He grumbled, looking at her with a scowl. She replied with a grin of her own, crossing her arms as she leaned against the bench.

"My deepest apologies, Sir," Sophia said, her sarcastic tone evident as she spoke. "Maybe if you spent a minute if your time chatting to the staff properly, then we wouldn't have problems like this."

"You've been doing this for nearly two months, surely you could have gotten it right once."

" _Wait,"_ She said, pressing a finger to her lips as though she was contemplating something. "So your name isn't Harry Alien? I could have sworn that's what you said when you ordered."

"I'd like to speak to your manager," Barry said with a smirk on his lips.

"I am the manager." It was ridiculous, at the amount of pride and smugness that had welled in her chest in that moment. She was so obviously lying, but she was in fact the most senior member on shift in that present time, and by default was in fact that manager. But, the 'official' role and title did not belong to her.

" _Well_ , I would appreciate if you treated your customers with a bit more respect."

"It goes both ways you know," Sophia pointed out, a scowl now evident on her face. But she didn't want to get into trouble over something so trivial, so she moved back, grabbing a cookie from the cabinet, and plopping it on top of the large lid on the cup he held in his hand. "It's on the house. Enjoy your day."

And with that Barry looked at Sophia quizzically, unsure of why she had done that. He had not expected her to back down after she had just told him off about his atrocious behaviour. He knew that he wasn't the best people person, in fact, he found that was why he did his job best. Because he compartmentalised his feelings, and rarely showed emotion.

"Thanks," He mumbled, unsure of what to say now. He felt weird, and he wasn't sure why. But when she looked at him with a smile of triumph, like she had accomplished something, those feelings were washed away. He looked down at her name tag, and then without thought, started to move away. "Bye Sophie," He called out, leaving the café, the bell chiming as he walked out, and her voice in the background yelling that her name was Sophia.

He decided that he would be back tomorrow, and that when he went home that afternoon, he would be coming up with all sorts of names for the cute barista named Sophia who had a love for tormenting and teasing him.

* * *

The next morning Sophia came into work as her usual chipper self. She had submitted one of her last essays that night, and she had felt nothing but relief ever since. After tying her hair up in a low bun, she dug the keys out of her bag, and opened up shop, greeting Cisco, one of her colleagues as he walked in, tying his hair into a top knot, preparing the food for the day, and displaying it in the cabinet in a way that made you want to eat pretty much everything in there.

Sophia walked into the back, throwing on her apron around her waist, and adding a light pink gloss to her lips. She usually didn't wear that much make up to work in the morning, mostly because she was lazy, but today she felt like a little bit of colour.

The morning had started off slow as usual, building up just before 7am as workers rushed in to grab their morning hit before a long day at work.

"Hi, how can I help you?" Sophia asked, not looking up as she continued to make the order in front of her. One of their staff members had called in sick that morning, leaving only herself and Cisco to both serve customers and take their orders as well as make drinks. Add that with the large crowd building up, and it was a disaster.

"Perhaps by actually making eye-contact when a customer is trying to order. You know, respect and all that jazz," The voice said. She didn't even have to look up as she dusted the chocolate on the froth of the finished drink to know who it was.

"Well if it isn't Harry. What can I do for you?" She asked with a smile as she looked up, pressing a button on the buzzer next to her, bringing the new order up on screen, and a smiling customer to come and pick it up.

"Thanks Soph," Eddie called out, grabbing her drink from the table before running out the door.

"No worries, Ed," She waved goodbye as he left, before turning her attention back to Barry Allen who was standing before her, his arms crossed.

"Can I order now," He asked, tilting his head at her.

"The usual?"

"And what is that may I ask?"

"Regular cappuccino, light froth, two sugars and a shot of chocolate, with a little sprinkled on top," Sophia replied effortlessly as Cisco chuckled, serving another customer on the second register.

Barry obviously hadn't expected her to remember it, and even flushed for a moment before replying and she was off on her way to make his drink, with a smug grin playing on her lips. She thought that since she had teased him for the past few months, she would play nice, and this once would write his name correctly. Especially since he had actually tried- the key word here being _tried-_ to interact with the staff, and not once had he taken a call this morning.

"There you go, one cap for Barry Allen," She handed it over with a big smile, and he returned one, noting that she had written his name on the cup correctly. For a moment her heart skipped a beat when he gave her a grin, and she noted that if he was attractive before- when he mostly scowled-, then he was absolutely devilishly handsome when he smiled.

"Thanks, Serena."

"That's even worse than yesterday," She blurted out, flushing red when she realised she had practically yelled it out. He just continued smiling at her, letting out the lightest of laughs.

"See you later, Serena."

"It's Sophia," She called out one last time as he walked out the door, earning weird glances from other customers, and a nudge from her co-worker Cisco who had a knowing smirk on his face.

"What?" She asked, glaring at him.

" _Oh_ nothing."

"Spit it out, Ramon," Sophia said in between taking a customer's order.

"It's just, you two are fighting like an old married couple, it's actually adorable," Cisco said, having witnessed the entire interaction. The sexual tension in the air was so thick he could cut it with a knife, and when he voiced his thoughts to Sophia all she could do was blush a deep pink, and tell him that if he didn't stop with those silly insinuations, that she would accidentally cut him with a knife.

He still laughed, and the continued their banter, before he told her that they would have a date by the end of the month. She just rolled her eyes, knowing that someone like _him_ would never go out with someone like her. It was just the way things worked.

* * *

Their light and witty banter continued on for the next month, and every day he came in, he had a new name for her.

Serena.

Seraphina.

Sophie. – Again. She noted this, and told him he was lacking style, and then he had the audacity to show up the next morning, and call her Shakira of all things.

She laughed and told him he was incorrigible, but she then placed her hands on her hips, swaying them lightly to tease him, claiming that in fact, her hips didn't lie. She seemed to have him speechless as he didn't reply for at least a good ten seconds, his cheeks donning a light flush when he realised he had been staring at her for much too long.

She was beginning to think that the man in the suit wasn't that robotic after all. He had seemed to lighten up a bit recently, and she wondered exactly why that was.

Another month had gone by, and it was just their thing. She came up with new names for him, and he for her. Sophia had to admit to herself that she was starting to develop feelings for him. She hated this fact, and tried to push it away, knowing that it would never happen.

And that's when things had taken a turn for the worse.

Not only was she in a foul mood in regards to her realisation of her feelings for the man in the blue suit, but she had found out that morning that her mother had been diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. And as a college student, studying to become a nurse, she knew all too well about the disease. In fact, she had just finished studying for one of her finals that was based on it. This meant that she knew every sign, every symptom, every lingering ache and pain that it would cause. She knew about the treatments, and the countless medications, but what she didn't know, was the pain and pressure that it put on her. Her father had passed away at a young age, leaving her to grow up with a single parent. Her mother was her everything.

She knew this meant she would have to take up more shifts at the brew to save up enough money to help her mother out, either that or get another job on top of what she was already doing know to support her mother in any way she could. She knew that treatment wasn't cheap, and in between paying for her own rent, and college fees, it was a struggle to even give a few hundred dollars towards her mother's treatment. But she couldn't just do nothing. She had to do something. She had one more year left of studying before she could go out into the health system and work in a hospital, but at this present time, she was left working at the brew with low wages, and long hours.

Just thinking about it all, the pain and suffering that her mother would now have to journey through, had her heart sitting in the bottom of her chest, sending a dull aching pain through her body. She was in no mood this morning to even be at work, but she knew that every hour counted.

"Hi, what can I get for you today?" Her usual cheery mood, lacked lustre and it was obvious in the way that she spoke. She managed to get through the first few customers without too much trouble, but as time went on, her thoughts were running amuck in her head.

That's where Barry Allen came in.

He was excited to see Sophia. He had planned to ask her out today. After months of playful bickering and witty banter, he had decided that he wanted to get to know the girl behind the apron. He could see that she was not only naturally beautiful, but intelligent as well, and he hadn't found someone who made his heart beat like that in a long time. It definitely took some persuading by his friends who had noticed this, but he had finally come to terms with the fact that he fancied her.

So as he walked in there this morning, a bright smile on his face, ready to greet her, his expression was replaced with a frown when he noticed her solemn expression.

"Morning," Barry greeted with a smile, hoping that she wasn't actually in a terrible mood.

"Hey," She replied softly. "The usual?"

He nodded and she gave him a small smile, but he noticed that it didn't reach all the way up to her soft brown eyes like it usually did. Something was wrong, and he didn't like it.

"Are you alright?" He asked tentatively, and she looked up, surprised to hear concern layered in his voice.

"Just tired," She replied stiffly. She knew that he was just trying to be nice, but she had told herself that he didn't like her in that way, so why should she bother him with her problems.

"Here you go," She said, handing over the drink, not saying another word as she walked away.

Barry took it, saying goodbye before he left, figuring that she was just having an off day, and telling himself he would come back tomorrow, and start fresh.

* * *

Tomorrow came, but Sophia didn't. And then the next, and the next, and the next.

The first time, Barry was told that it was because Sophia had moved to night shifts instead, swapping for the morning ones. Because of that, he knew that he wouldn't see her. But when he went in the afternoon to catch her a few weeks later, Cisco told him that Sophia had taken some personal time. Barry frowned in disappointment before nodding and grabbing his coffee, walking out onto the pavement and towards the park nearby.

He usually sat on a park bench, enjoying his drink before heading into work. The fresh air and the green atmosphere always refreshed him, setting him up for the long day ahead. As he moved towards his usual bench, he spotted someone sitting there, someone he recognised.

Sophia.

"Surprised to see you here." The words flowed out of Barry's mouth before he even registered it. She looked up from the tulip that was in her hands and stared at him in shock. She didn't expect to see him here.

She was wearing a pale blue dress, that reached her knees, flowing around her curves effortlessly, a denim jacket on her shoulders. Her feet were encased in a pair of converse sneakers, much like the ones he had stashed in the bottom of his closet. Her hair was out, the natural brown curls framing her face innocently, different from the usual up-do she sported at work. She looked different today- good different, but she also looked sad. He could see it in her eyes, it was a look that he knew all too well.

"Hey."

"Hi."

He sat down next to her, taking a sip of his drink. For a moment it was silent, the only sound they could hear being the wind blowing the crunchy leaves in the park.

"It's nice to see you."

"Likewise, I haven't seen you in a while," Barry said, realising that it had actually been a few weeks since their last encounter. Overtime their relationship had changed from annoying to playful, and he wanted to get to know her better, solidify their relationship as friends… or perhaps something more.

"I've been busy," Sophia murmured, looking back down at the tulip in her hand.

"Are you alright? You don't seem like your usual self."

"My mom, she's uh-, she's gone," Sophia managed to get out, without crying. Only days after she had discovered her mother had been diagnosed with cancer, she had lost her. She knew that she was at Stage IV and this meant that the cancer was starting to spread to other parts of her body, but the doctors had told her that they would be able to remove the tumours surgically, and then start chemotherapy. They had told her that her mother had a fighting chance. It had been a few weeks now since her passing, and even though she wanted to just sit around and do nothing, she knew that she had to move on with her life, something that her mother made sure that Sophia knew.

But she didn't.

Sophia was just glad that she was able to spend the last week by her mother's side.

"I'm so sorry," Barry breathed out, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be sorry, you aren't the stage four breast cancer that killed her," Sophia muttered, tears welling behind her closed eyelids. She blinked the tears away, before taking in a deep breath. "Sorry I bit your head off. I'm just…stressed."

"Don't worry about it. I know how you feel. I felt the same way when my mother died."

She looked at him in curiosity, and wondered why he was sharing this with her. They weren't friends, they were mere acquaintances. In fact, he didn't even know her full name and at times she wondered if he even remembered that her name was actually Sophia and not Serena or something of the sort.

"I'm sorry," Sophia murmured.

"Don't be, it was a long time ago. But I understand how you feel."

"Does it every go away? The pain?"

"Not entirely, but over time things get easier. You learn to celebrate the life they had instead of cry for the one they lost," Barry spoke softly.

She listened to his words carefully, and decided that her mother would have liked him. She also decided that her mother would have smacker her silly and told her to introduce herself properly upon discovery of her feelings towards the man in the suit.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot."

"I think it was more like the wrong coffee cup."

"Hi, I'm Sophia Lang, it's a pleasure to meet you," She said, mustering a smile as she stuck her hand out for him to shake. He grasped it and as soon as their hands touched, she felt a rush of electricity through her fingers. She wondered if he felt it as well, and judging by the light flush in his cheeks, she reasoned that he did.

"Hi Sophia, lovely to meet you. My name is Barry Allen."

"What brings you to this park on lovely day?"

"Just wanted to drink my coffee, and I saw a girl looking sad, so I went to cheer her up," He told her, a twinkle in his eye as they spoke in riddles.

"Why was she sad?" She asked playing along, curious as to his response.

"Well you see, she just lost her mom." There was something so sincere and gentle about his tone, that Sophia actually believed that he cared about her wellbeing. She wasn't sure why he was doing this, but all she knew was that the longer he did, the harder it was to get rid of her feelings towards him.

"That must _suck_."

"Yeah, it also sucks because I know this girl," He continued.

" _Really_? From where?"

"Well she is a barista at this local café, and she makes me the most amazing coffees even though she manages to get my name wrong every time," He teased. He was being absolutely serious. That was the primary reason that he didn't go to another coffee shop after the wrong name mishaps that went on for quite some time. Also the fact that she had beautiful eyes, but he would never outwardly express that… at least not now.

"She sounds like she's fun at a party."

"I bet she is. I've actually been dying to take her out, but I just don't know how to ask her."

"Well," She said, gulping as he stared down at her with those gorgeous green eyes of his. "Where would you take her?"

"Maybe dinner and a movie, but I feel like she would probably bite my head off and tell me that it was too cliché. _So_ I found an art show downtown that was open this weekend, with food markets and all. Do you think she'd be interested?" He asked, holding his breath as he waited for her answer. He wasn't sure what it was about her that drew him in, but he knew that he wanted to get to know her better.

"She might be," Sophia replied, unable to contain the small smile that twitched at her lips.

"Guess I'll just have to wait and see, it'll be down by Central park on Saturday morning, 9am."

* * *

 **A / N – Coffee shop AU #done.**

 **I apologise that it got a bit sad, but I needed to make it a bit…dramatic. But other than that, it was cute and so much fun to write. So basically with the timeline, once she finds out that her mother has cancer, she loses her a few days later due to complications, her heart stops beating. The scene at the park is a few weeks after the funeral.**

 **Barry is a bit of an ass in this at first, but I find it hilarious because it is so different to how Barry would actually act, and that's why I enjoyed writing this side of Barry so much more. Also Sophia is a little sarcastic in here (okay a lot) and I love it.**

 **Thank you to MrsxBarryxAllen for the review on the last chapter. Glad that you liked it. Hope you enjoyed this one as well, especially considering it's a bit longer.**

 **Also you will all be happy to hear that I have this week off after finishing my exams, so plenty of time to get the sequel written! On chapter 5 at the moment. I have a feeling that it's going to be a long one.**

 **Please leave a review! X**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	12. Ocean Views

Ocean Views

Summer had arrived and Sophia was certainly enjoying it. She had convinced the Iris and Eddie to join her and Barry at one of the hottest beach spots in Cost City for the weekend. They were staying at a beach house that sat at the very mouth of the ocean, giving them a front row view of the sparkling water, and the golden sand.

It was nearing six in the morning when Sophia awoke, slowly untangling herself from Barry's warm arms as she moved to dig through her suitcase to find her one-piece beachwear. It was a pastel yellow that made her brown eyes pop. The one-piece suit had a low neck, before twisting around her neck, leaving most of it backless, the rest covering her butt. She admitted it was more than flattering, and she had picked it out before their holiday getaway on purpose. After all, if Barry was going to be there shirtless, and in some red shorts, then why shouldn't she show off a bit of skin in a jaw dropping swim piece. She wasn't big on bikinis so this was the next best thing, besides most of her curls covered her back. Her hair had grown out quite a bit and it dipped to her mid back. She was contemplating cutting it, just for it to be easier to manage, but Barry complained, saying how he loved running his fingers through her long hair. And she had to admit that it did look all the more ethereal when she used her powers, her hair glowing and floating with her as she glided through the night sky of Central City.

After she had finished changing into her swimsuit, she turned around to see Barry still snoring away in the bed, and there was no stopping the goofy smile that found its way onto her face. She floated over to the bed, not wanting to make a sound with feet pressing onto the wooden floors of the house and disturb him. She brushed a feather like kiss on his cheek, eyes grazing over his face one last time before she snuck out of the house and down to the beach. It was still early so most of the beach was scarce, spare a few swimmers and surfers that were spread out quite a bit, giving her a bit of privacy and peace.

She held in a burst of joy as she ran head on at the water, almost slipping as the sand became wedged between her toes that were painted red to match her fingernails. A moment later she crashed into the water, her body diving straight in once she had moved in deep enough. Her limbs were splashing in the ocean water, relishing as the clear blue water dripped on her skin, the cool wind blowing against it.

The sun was just rising and it was the most beautiful sight. The dark tones of blue were warming up into a brilliant yellow, mixing into hues of purple and pink as the sun woke up from its nap, relieving the moon of its duties. Her body floated in the middle of the water, her legs fluttering beneath her as to keep her above the water as she embraced the sight before her in awe. She closed her eyes for a moment, beads of water rolling down her closed eyelids, catching in her eyelashes before trickling down her cheeks, taking a brief second to appreciate the moment.

Sophia turned around when she heard her name being yelled out in the distance. The water swished around as she faced the front of the beach where the sand met the water, to see Barry standing there in a pair of shorts, and a loose shirt, the top button undone.

"Fancy a swim?" Sophia called out, as she moved a bit closer so that he could hear her. She wasn't too far out that he wouldn't be able to pick up on her words, but she'd rather not alert the entire beach to their conversation.

"Race?" Barry asked, undoing the buttons of his shirt, leaving it carelessly on the sand with his flip flops next to it. Shamelessly, she let her eyes trail over his smooth and muscled chest.

"Why not," Sophia said with a smirk. She knew that this would be getting interesting and fast. Barry was in the water a second later, swimming over to her. Now side by side, the two shared flirtatious smiles before moving apart, giving each other enough room.

"Rules?" Sophia wondered if he would say no powers. She had this in the bag regardless, she had been a competitive swimmer in high school, and it was no new scene to her.

"None." Barry shrugged his shoulders. "Whoever makes it to the buoy first, wins." Sophia turned to look at the ocean, spotting the bright red buoy floating a good 20 miles away.

"On three?" Sophia suggested and Barry nodded, moving and capturing her lips in a quick kiss, catching her off guard, and whispering how it was for good luck. She rolled her eyes, feeling the blush that had sprouted on her skin, heating her up. She turned towards the direction of the buoy, focusing on the target ahead.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

With that, both of their bodies shot down into the water, neither even coming up for air as they practically gravitated towards the buoy. Barry had used his speed to propel himself forward, like a bullet underneath the weight of the water.

Sophia had a similar idea and used her energy to give her a boost, as well as her flight and at this point she wasn't even doing that much of swimming. Though she moved her arms to keep her propelling forward, she didn't have to use her legs at all, feeling like a mermaid as her body moved through the water, her energy making her shoot forward faster than she thought possible.

Their bodies though far apart, were moving at almost the same rate, Barry only slightly in front of her. She knew that he was just too fast for her, being The Flash and all, and that gave her an idea. The buoy was still a good 10 miles away at this point, and she had enough time. He did say no rules after all. She changed direction, moving up, her head sprouting out of the water. She took in a big gulp of air, looking around to see that there was pretty much no one insight, everyone seeming to be on the other side of the beach. She smirked, bringing her body out of the water now completely, and flying low, skimming the top of the clear blue water, her body moving faster now that she didn't have the pressure of the ocean keeping her down. She was definitely faster in the air. She made it to the buoy a second later, perching herself on top of it as she waited patiently for Barry to catch up.

A breathless grin was planted on her face as she watched Barry shoot up out of the water, breathing hard as he looked up at her.

"What? How did you get there so fast?" Barry asked, catching his breath, the water glistening on his skin as it dripped down his chest. His hair was messed up and wet, and she admitted that it was a good look, a really good look.

"You said no rules, so I used that to my advantage," Sophia said with a laugh as she watched his gobsmacked face.

"No fair!"

"I clearly remember you stating that I just had to get to the buoy before you did," Sophia pointed out. "Which I did."

"Damn," Barry whispered under his breath, and she was sure that it wasn't because she had won. His eyes glided over her body now that he could see her out of the water, and he felt breathless looking at her in the gorgeous yellow swimsuit. She smiled cheekily before pouncing into the water, her head going under for a second before she resurfaced next to him.

"Guess I'm just faster than The Flash?" Sophia teased.

"No one's faster than The Flash," Barry said with a playful scoff.

"So just smarter." The sound of her laughter, and the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled was the most adorable thing he had ever witnessed. He would never get sick of it. "So what's my prize, Barry?" She asked, moving some of her wet hair out of her face. "A kiss perhaps?"

"Come here, you." Barry grabbed Sophia by her waist, pulling her towards him, their bodies pressed against each other. He didn't waste a moment in leaning down, pulling her in for a kiss. Sophia smiled into the kiss, unable to help herself. Her arms wound themselves around his neck lazily, as his remained on her waist, their lips melding against each other with a heat that warmed them up from being in the cool water.

"Race you back?"

"What do I win?" Barry asked cheekily, raising a brow.

"Let's just say, this wasn't the only suit I packed for this trip," Sophia said mysteriously, and he paused for a moment not getting it until she sent a wink his way and his cheeks flushed red as she grinned.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack on purpose?" Barry breathed out.

"Come on, let's see if you can beat me and win your prize."

* * *

 **A/N – I honestly don't even know where this came from, there was no prompt, I was just listening to Cake By The Ocean by DNCE and some inspiration hit me.**

 **Thank you to MrsxBarryxAllen for the review! Your support is always loved! I thought it was funny as well with all the different names that they came up with for each other in the last chapter.**

 **Please review guys, I live off them and it fuels my motivation. On chapter 6 of the sequel at the moment, and I hope to get some more writing done soon. But in the coming week I'll be working from Sunday to Sunday 9+ hours a day with really odd hours, so pray for me! I'm going to be so knackered.**

 **Send in more prompts, they are running low. Anything you'd love to see happen next!**

 **Thanks for reading and all the new faves/follows.**

 **Til next time.**

 **\- Heroherondale.**


	13. You Make Me Feel This Way

You make me feel this way

It starts in her toes, the tingling feeling- that is -before it spreads up her legs, through her dainty fingertips, travelling into her arms as it buries itself firmly and deeply inside her chest. She doesn't know why, but every time her eyes dart over to steal a forbidden glance at Barry Allen, her heart beats faster and her blood pumps like the rain pelting down from dark clouds on a stormy night- hard and bursting with uncontainable emotion.

His sparkling green eyes are enough to make her heart lurch in her chest every time they flitter over to her form and she's not sure she can handle it. Her pink lips twitch into a smile she cannot contain any longer, because it's _him_.

 _It's always been him._

At first, she had thought it was just a simple attraction. After all, they were both attractive individuals, who spent way too much time in each other's company, and had seen far too much of each other's souls for them to be anything other than _just friends_. But she had always denied it. She had always shook her head, laughing at the notion. Her mother had told her as a young girl that finding your soulmate wouldn't be hard at all, because once you did, you would know in an instant. And she realised that she had known, but she hadn't been willing to accept it, but now it was a different story.

And now, now she was falling hopelessly and irrevocably in love with Barry Allen.

He ignited feelings within her that she didn't even know she was capable of feeling, and that was terrifying to say the least… but in a good way. She wanted to stand from the rooftops, and shout out her love for him to the world, but she also wanted to curl up into a ball on her bed, doused in woollen blankets, with flushed cheeks and bury her feelings down into a golden chest, lock it and throw away the key, never to be opened again.

But as he sat by her side on the Ferris wheel in the amusement park that Eddie and Iris had dragged them to, she could only keep her mouth sealed shut, in fear of what she would blurt out in front of him. It was bad enough that Iris had set them up on a double date, but then Barry had to come wearing what could have been the most simplest of outfits he owned, but ended up looking like he had just come off a fashion runway.

His soft brown tresses were ruffled effortlessly, and Sophia had the urge to run her hand through them, just to feel how soft it would be underneath her fingertips. Her eyes had then trailed down from his windswept hair, to his face momentarily, and she was sure if she hadn't snapped herself out of it, they would be locked on his luscious lips all night, wondering how they would feel pressed against her own. When she had turned pink at the thought, she had quickly turned her head to the side in an attempt to hide it, but Iris West, the journalist with a sharp eye, had already seen it and laughed before pulling Eddie's hand in her own and declaring that they would split up for a bit.

Somehow things had then progressed to Barry and Sophia walking along side by side, their hands occasionally brushing, sending sparks of electricity through her hand every time it happened. Barry had then mentioned that the last time he had been on a Ferris wheel was when he was a little boy, with his mother, and she felt her heart swell in her chest, and even though she hated heights, she grabbed his hand, and pulled him into the waiting line, hoping that he would like the gesture.

Clearly he had, because he didn't release her hand once it was in his, even after they had walked onto their cart, and it had risen to the top, moving round and round. Sophia took deep breaths as she continued to gaze out into the midnight sky, the stars sparkling brightly in contrast. Their cart had reached the top now, stopping for a moment as they were given a chance to enjoy the view. She turned her head back to Barry to see if he was enjoying the ride to see that his eyes were already on her. She flushed under his gaze and he gave her a flirty smile in response. She wondered if he knew what his smiles did to her.

"Enjoying the view?" She asked, suddenly finding a bit of courage. She knew that deep down she wasn't a shy person, but because she felt so vulnerable around him she couldn't help but clam up quite a bit of the time, but she hoped she would get over it soon.

"Best thing I've see all night," Barry spoke and she looked down at their hands, unable to contain the smile that erupted on her lips even though her heart was beating like a drum.

"I usually don't like heights, but the view of the night sky is breathtaking," Sophia diverted, her eyes moving back to the view outside their cart, appreciating the scenery.

"It's definitely not as breathtaking as the view in front of me," Barry said, and she felt her earns burn a bright red, heat travelling down her neck, and she was suddenly thankful for wearing a turtle-neck jumper. She felt like a teenager once again with a crush on the cutest boy in school.

"And what might that be?" She raised a brow. She didn't know where this sudden confidence was coming from but she sure hoped that it continued.

"You really want me to spell it out for you?" Barry asked. He thought that after all this time, she would know how he felt about her. He wasn't exactly hiding it these days, he couldn't do it any longer.

"Why not."

"You."

" _Me?_ "

"Yes, you."

"Me?"

"Yes, I think I just said that," Barry laughed and in turn so did she.

"Why? I mean, why me?"

"Maybe it was the way you spoke the first time you met me, or maybe it's the adorable freckles that are splattered across your cheeks, or maybe it's the way you're so kind, and how you're such an amazing friend, I don't know, I just know that it's everything about you. You've sucked me in, my heart belongs to you and I have no intention of taking it back," Barry spoke from the heart. He hadn't felt emotions like this towards anyone for a long time, and he was ready to let it out. He wanted this, and he wasn't going to let anything stop him.

"Am I dreaming?" Sophia asked, a strangled laugh leaving her lips. She was sure that this wasn't real. No way this was real… right? "Pinch me." She held out her arm for him to do as she asked.

He shook his head, his lips spread out in a smile as he pulled on her arm with a sharp tug, her body nearly colliding with his own as he ducked his head to meet hers, capturing her lips in a surprise kiss, making her gasp at the contact.

"Still think you're dreaming?"

"I might need a reminder that this is real," She said breathlessly. She could feel her heart running a mile an hour, and from where Barry's hand was resting on her neck, she was sure that he would be able to feel her pulse as well. All this time he had felt the same way about her, and she was stumbling after him like an idiot. She had never expected this in all her wildest dreams.

"I think I can work with that."

And finally, the two were content as they began to truly understand how they made each other feel, and it was something they knew that would live on for many a year to come.

* * *

 **Please review, and give me ideas. I'm running out and I don't know what to write next! I've only got one idea left thanks to AndySteve1311, that should hopefully be out soon. (I really want to write another JLU collab with Sophia and Barry but I'm not sure what exactly to write about, so perhaps send an idea through of a mission, or something to write around).**

 **P.s. FINALLY ON HOLIDAYS. WHICH MEANS MORE TIME TO WRITE THE SEQUEL, YAS.**

 **#bless**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	14. Accidents Happen

Accidents Happen

Sophia was sitting in the warm tub in her shared apartment with Barry. The water felt luscious against her skin, lapping softly as she adjusted her position. She had dumped a bath bomb in the middle, spiralling into a sea of azures and violet, the scent of lavender filling the air. It had been a terribly long week both at the hospital and Star Labs, leaving her desperate for a moment of relaxation.

Her favourite music echoed lowly in the bathroom, playing from the small radio sitting next to the basin. Probably not the safest thing. Candles surrounded the tub, leaving her bathed in the soft light and in her hand was a copy of Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban.

It was probably one of her favourites out of the series. There was something about the mystery and magic of this particular novel in the series that just captured her attention more than the others. She wasn't sure if it was the drama that bubbled over with Sirius Black on the run, and finding out more about the night that Harry's parents were murdered by Voldemort, but she particularly liked the third book, and she was devastated when she had realised that she didn't bring her copy with her when she moved from Kansas to Central City.

So that's where Barry's copy came in. They had only recently moved in together, and in their main living area there was a large white bookcase, filled with loved and worn out copies of books. They had a pretty wide range. From classics like Jane Austen and J.R.R. Tolkien to the newer stuff, like Rick Riordan and J.K. Rowling. So when she had been desperate for a good read while she enjoyed the warm soak after a tiring day at work, she had picked out a book that took her back to her childhood.

She scrunched her nose up in distaste as she read the Riddikulus scene play out as the characters endured another lesson of Defence against the Dark Arts. She never liked the idea of boggarts, knowing that she would be too terrified to even get her mouth to work and say the spell if she had been in the situation. She figured that her boggart would take shape of something similar to that of Ron's. She had severe arachnophobia and her distaste of spiders was high up on the list. But then the longer she thought about it, the more she realised that with all the crap that they had gone through, she would probably see something more like Zoom or The Reverse-Flash as her greatest fear. She shook her head trying not to think about it and focus back on the adventure she was meant to be reading.

But it was a moment later that there was a loud bang at the front of their apartment, the door closing shut, and the shuffling off feet out of shoes echoing down the hall. The sudden loud sound scared her and her grip on the book loosened just enough for her to accidentally drop it in the bath tub. She was sure that she was home alone, and Barry wasn't meant to be back for hours of if not longer, as he informed her he was working on a case, collaborating with Starling City as they tracked down a criminal wanted for crimes in both cities.

"Honey, I'm home," Barry's voice rang out, the jingling sound of keys ending when he threw it in the small tray by the door.

"Shit," Sophia cursed as she looked down at the book that was now soaking wet with wide eyes. Not only was this Barry's book, it was in fact an original signed copy by J.K. Rowling herself.

"Sweetie," Barry's voiced called out as he walked further into the apartment, dumping his coat on the back of the couch as he looked around, trying to figure out where his fiancé was hiding. "Sophia?"

"Uh-, _Ah_ , I'm in the bathroom," Sophia's voice trailed off as she freaked out, her hands fumbling as she tumbled out of the bath dripping wet, throwing a robe on top of her bare body and rummaging through the cupboards in an attempt to find her hairdryer to dry off the pages of his now soaked book. She was internally freaking out now considering that Barry was just outside the door and she had basically destroyed his book.

 _Shit_.

The handle was turning just as she was leaning over to plug the dryer in. She froze midway as the door swung open, one hand clutching the dryer and the other holding onto the now soaked pages of the wizarding world.

"Hey sweetie," Barry said with a grin as he moved forward placing a swift kiss on her lips. He was careful to avoid hugging her because she was still dripping wet, even with her robe now on, and her hair was falling out of the messy bun it had been thrown into previously.

"B-Barry, you're home early," Sophia said, throwing a frazzled smile on her face as she quickly hid the book behind her back.

"What are you doing?" Barry asked, eyeing her, noticing that her behaviour was skittish. Sophia was a terrible liar, and it was ironic considering she had kept her secret about Sapphire from the public and their friends to this day.

"Well, I was taking a bath, relaxing and reading when you got home, and I thought I was alone and hearing the door slam caught me off guard, and then I accidentally dropped the book I was reading in the bath and now it's sort of soaked in water and it's also your copy of Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, and I'm really sorry," Sophia rambled.

"What do you mean you dropped my _signed_ copy of Harry Potter in the bathtub?" Barry shrieked as she pulled the book out from behind her.

"I'm so sorry, Barry! I promise I'll fix it, if I can't I'll buy you a new one," Sophia apologised with a sheepish look as she handed the book to him.

He just gave her a blank look before walking out of the room.

 _Shit, you done screwed up, Sophia._

It had been hours now and Sophia sat beside Barry on the couch and he had the same sour look on his face, like she had just murdered someone.

"Barry, I said that I was sorry, how many more times do I need to say it?" Sophia asked, turning to look at him. It was getting ridiculous now. It had been a simple accident and she felt terrible. When he didn't reply, she huffed and sat back against the couch, crossing her arms in front of her, a frown appearing on her face. "Fine, be like that."

It was silent for a few minutes, electricity charging the air before Barry let out a bout of laughter. She turned to look at him with a dumbfounded face.

"W-What-Why are you laughing?" She asked. "You were just angry with me like two seconds ago," She pointed out and his laughter just grew until he was holding his stomach.

"I wondered how long it would take you to finally give up. Cisco bet three hours, and I gave you four, looks like I was right," Barry said, and then realised what he had blurted out. With wide eyes he turned to see her with her arms crossed and a pout on her lips.

"I'm not replacing your copy of Harry Potter anymore."

"Fine, let's compromise," Barry said.

"And exactly what would be a compromise in this situation?" Sophia asked. With a smile still planted on his face, he leaned forward, cradling Sophia's face in his hands. Her lips had formed a pout and her eyes were soft as she gazed up at him.

"How about a kiss?"

"Just one?" Sophia asked. "I think you're gonna need to do more than that to get my forgiveness."

"Maybe more than just one," Barry breathed out, a twinkle of mischief in his eye, mirth playing on his lips.

"I think I could work with that."

His lips were pressed to hers a moment later, each party responding instinctively as they tried to press their bodies closer to each other, giggling away at each other's antics. And Sophia knew that even if he had played a bit of a prank on her at the end, she would still replace his copy of Prisoner of Azkaban otherwise she wouldn't have one to read the next time she decided to take a bath.

* * *

 _This is following an AU I saw on a tumblr post, but I can't find the text post anymore._

 **Thanks for the ideas guys. Hope to come out with some new stuff soon. I've been working tirelessly on the sequel to try and get heaps written so I can start posting as soon as possible.**

 **Love you all for the support and kindness you've shown me and my stories.**

 **Keep sending those requests!**

 **Heroherondale.**


	15. Love Square

**Prompt** for the lovely guest named Cho: Miraculous Ladybug AU featuring the love square. The Flash falls desperately in love with the Sapphire Knight upon their first team up as superheros with the Justice League, but she ignores his advances, having her eye on a cute CSI that she frequently bumps into in her circle of friends, but of course Barry Allen is oblivious to her major crush on him because he's too consumed by his thoughts of Sapphire.

 _Let the love square begin!_

Love Square

When Sophia awoke that morning, she didn't know how important this day would be. She would go to work as normal, catch up with her friends for drinks at happy hour, shamelessly ogle Barry Allen who was still oblivious to her affections towards him, and then go on patrol before tumbling home to her soft mattress and her cuddly cat.

At least, that's how a perfect day would work.

Her alarm clock had gone off late, for some unbeknownst reason, and she was at work an hour after her shift had started. Even with her flight, she hadn't managed to get ready on time, and it was in that moment that she was jealous of The Flash's ability to move faster than light itself. Therefore getting to work late meant that she had to stay back an hour to make it up, and she missed pretty much all of happy hour at their local bar. When she had gotten there, she only had a good half hour to hang out with her friends before she needed to head off to grab a bite and then go on patrol. But as she was leaving, she tripped over someone's bag and bumped into said crush, Barry Allen, who then dropped his glass, spilling the colourful drink all over the both of them. She apologised profusely, with flushed cheeks before making her escape back to her apartment to get ready for patrol. It was then when she got to the zeta-tube in Central City to teleport up to Watchtower that she got a message from Batman stating that until further notice, the zeta-tube in Central City was under maintenance. This meant that in order to get to the Watchtower, Sophia had to fly all the way to Star City in the pouring rain just to teleport up for their meeting before their midnight patrol would begin.

So suffice to say, she was having what could possibly be one of the worst days ever.

And The Flash constantly teasing and flirting with her, was not helping, and so she had snapped.

The meeting had been tiring and long, especially when one was soaked to the bone in cold water that had fallen from the sky's above. By the time The Flash and herself had gotten back to Central City to do their nightly routine of saving the innocent, and throwing criminals behind bars she was exhausted to say the least. They had their comm. connected to the local CCPD dispatch, listening in for any new updates, and it was around three in the morning when they found that things had started to quiet down.

That's how they both found themselves sitting on the rooftop of a skyscraper that gave them a view of the brightly lit city from up above.

"It's a beautiful view," Sapphire breathed out. It was the first time she had made casual conversation all night, and Barry was glad for it.

"You certainly are," The Flash teased, and she rolled her eyes, not even giving him a second glance as she threw her arm out to the side, sending a small wave of blue energy at him, knocking him off his feet. "What, can't a guy give a girl a compliment these days?" The Flash groaned in pain.

"You know how I feel about _us_ ," Sapphire replied with a cold voice.

"Ah, so there is an _us_ ," The Flash said, a smirk appearing on his face. She hated to admit it, but she really did think that his smile was gorgeous seeing as though it was enough to take her breath away, but she tried to bury those feeling and remind herself that she was in love with Barry Allen, not The Flash.

"I told you before, we don't know each other's identities, it's safer this way…besides…I'm in love with someone else," Sapphire said, her voice going low towards the end. She almost felt bad for the guy when she saw his face drop, but it was only for a second before his perky attitude was back.

"Well, your boyfriends a lucky guy," The Flash said, letting out a long sigh.

"Uh, well, he's not really, we're not- I'm just hopelessly in love with him, but he doesn't really notice me," Sapphire admitted, a heavy feeling of despair settling deep into her chest. "Pathetic, I know."

"If anyone's pathetic, it's him if he can't see how extraordinary you are," The Flash told her, giving her a smile. Her lips twitched at his compliment and she relaxed on the rooftop, her eyes moving back to the midnight sky that was littered with stars.

" _Ugh_ , today's been the worst," Sapphire groaned out, lying flat on the roof now, with her arms spread out. The Flash had the urge to laugh at her antics, she looked like she was laying in the snow spread out like an angel.

"Any particular reason why?"

"Well, first off, I was late to work, then I missed most of my catch up with my friends and I think I'm the clumsiest person on the planet, because I managed to knock into the guy I have a major crush on and spill his drink all over the both of us. And then to make things worse, the zeta-tubes were down, and it took a while to get to Star City in the torrential rain that had hit us this afternoon, and I feel like I'm coming down with a cold," Sapphire ranted, letting out a long sigh at the end.

" _Wow_ , you certainly had a good day," The Flash said sarcastically. "That's actually funny, someone dropped drinks all over me as well today, it's no fun trying to get daiquiris out of a white shirt," The Flash joked and he saw Sapphire visibly freeze up.

" _D-daiquiris_?" Sapphire asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, one of my friends bumped into me on her way out, and spilled it," The Flash said, obviously not putting two and two together.

Sophia's mind flashed back to that moment, and she wanted to die inside. Barry Allen, the man she was head over heels for had been wearing a white shirt that day when she tripped over and spilled the daiquiris. _But no, it couldn't be…could it?_

The Flash was Barry Allen. Suddenly it was all making sense, the pieces were coming together and she was starting to see the blurred picture more clearly now, and it was making her heart race, whether it was good or bad, she was too frazzled to figure that out, because, holy shit, the guy she had been majorly crushing on was also her partner in crime… well in justice, but whatever.

 _Barry Allen was The Flash._

That meant that Barry Allen had been flirting with her all this time as his alter-ego, who also happened to wear a tight leather suit during their routine rendezvous.

had stopped working and she wanted to die inside.

" _Barry_ ," Sophia let out a tiny whisper, and his head turned in an instant, his green eyes meeting hers. She noted that they looked darker in the moonlight, and it actually made them look all the more fascinating. She quickly averted her eyes, looking back at the stars and anywhere but him.

"What did you just say?" He asked quickly.

"Uh-nothing, nothing," She said, panicking like hell inside. "I didn't say anything."

"Did you just- no never mind. I thought you called me by my name," The Flash said, letting out a laugh. And as she heard his words of confirmation, and the familiar sound of his angelic laughter she nearly lost it.

" _Oh my god_ , it is you," She breathed out unable to bite her tongue as she quickly scooted away from him. She didn't know if it was out of embarrassment or the fact that she was scared of rejection. "Barry."

"How did you know it was me?" He asked, seeming calm. "D-do you know me in real life?"

"Isn't this also real life?"

"You know what I mean."

She wished she was as half as nonchalant as he was in the moment, but she knew that she would never be that lucky.

"The daiquiri, I-uh, I was the one who spilt it on you today," She managed to get out, a cringe evident on her face as she awaited his response. She was terrified that once he knew who she was now that he would reject her.

" _Sophia_?!" She nodded, and instead of running away like she had expected him to, a heart-warming grin appearing on his face. "It's been you, all this time?"

"Yeah," She let out a small smile. "I can't believe the man underneath the mask is Barry Allen."

He brought his hand up to the back of his neck, scratching it awkwardly like he did as himself, and she saw the connection instantly. His behaviour, though more flirty in this form was still pretty similar, and she was sure that those glowing green eyes matched the same man she had seen this morning.

"I guess we've been pretty blind all this time," Barry said, about to pull his mask off. He was beyond ecstatic.

"Wait, no, not here," Sophia yelled out, and he stopped midway from taking if off, bringing his hands back down.

"It's already been an insane day, and I don't think I can handle any more surprises just yet."

"But you already know it's me," He said with a raised brow.

"But it isn't real until you take the mask off."

"Now you're just being silly," He teased, sticking out his tongue, to which she rolled her eyes in response.

"I guess you'll just have to wait til tomorrow, the usual spot," Sophia said. "Don't be late," She teased giving him a wink before she bent her knees, shooting up into the sky as she flew home, a smile on her lip as she contemplated what had just happened. In the end they had both been miraculously lucky, and she wouldn't trade it for anything in the universe.

* * *

 **Sorry if this wasn't what you expected, or a bit lame, I have been struggling with writers block lately, and I need to get out of this funk.**

 **You lucky ducks got 2 in such a short time frame. Guess it was because I hadn't posted in a while, also feeling major guilty for keeping the sequel from you for so long, but it's in the works and it's coming along. I've been super busy at the moment, so doing my best to get you guys quality writing.**

 **On chapter 8 of the sequel, hopefully once a few more are done then we can get onto posting chapters!**

 **Please keep reviewing, it keeps me motivated to write more, also reminder to send in prompts, be as specific as you want, it's always so helpful.**

 **Heroherondale.**


	16. Surprise?

**AU** Prompt for AndySteve1311: Sophia finding out she's pregnant, and breaking the news to Barry.

Surprise

Of all the things that she could have been surprised with today, this certainly hadn't crossed her mind. But then again, it shouldn't really have been that big of a surprise. She was married, and they had certainly spoke about having children before, but now as she stared at the little stick in her hands, the light pink plus sign indicating that the test was positive, that she was indeed pregnant, was just too much to bare.

She wondered if it was the shock of it all, pregnancy hormones, the fact that she was only twenty-five, or that they had only been married for a year, and she thought she would have more time to prepare for it, but she was crying like a baby… ironically.

She had slumped on the floor of the bathroom, a bright smile plastered on her lips as tears streamed down. She noted that if anyone had walked in on her in that moment they would probably ship her off to a mental institution, but she couldn't help it. All her life, she had felt like something was missing, what with her mother dying at a young age, and the fact that she had no other siblings. But this, now having something growing inside of her, being pregnant, it changed things, and she felt this bubble of warmth envelop her.

When she had calmed down, she got up off her bathroom floor, washed her face and walked into her bedroom. According to the weirdly accurate test, she was only around 6 weeks along, which meant that she needed to go and book an appointment with her doctor, and then an ultrasound and then Sophia froze, her train of thought going out the window as she realised one very important thing.

 _She had to tell Barry._

Her heart leapt into her chest, and she was grinning like an idiot. She couldn't wait to tell him, and see the look on his face when he found out that they were having a child, that they were finally having a life together. She placed her hand on her flat stomach and wondered what it would be like when it got bigger. But then the more she thought about it, the more she realised how this really was going to change her life. She was a superhero…that was pregnant.

 _Oh no._

She brought her hand up to her hair, wanting to tug at it. _Oh god no, I can't be Sapphire if I'm pregnant, what if something happens to the baby, no I can't do this._ And it was in that moment that all her insecurities came rushing in, like someone had opened the flood gates. Her thoughts flashed to the article that spoke of her death, and her baby's death at the hands of the Reverse-Flash, and even though it was in a future that never happened, it still sent a shiver of fear through her. She realised a moment later that she was having a panic attack, and she rushed to her closet, grabbing her puffer and inhaling it, finding that her asthma was almost always triggered by her panic attacks, and this was one of the only ways to relieve it. She took in deep breaths, holding onto the side of her bedroom door before carefully walking to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

 _Deep breaths._ _It's going to be fine. We can do this, Barry will be there to help, there's nothing to worry about_.

Once she had calmed down enough, she glanced over at the clock hanging on the other side of the room, on the blue wall. It was nearly 7pm. She had been fretting over the test for 3 hours it seemed. She had been sick for the last week or so, vomiting in the morning, and unable to keep down most foods. She hadn't really thought that she would be pregnant, after all they were using contraception. It just didn't seem like the case. She thought she might have contracted a stomach bug after working a shift at the hospital, and just chocked it up to that. But when she started to get pain in her breasts, lower back and hips, she knew that something was up. So by a whim, she had gone and bought a pregnancy test from the local corner shop, not thinking much of it, until she opened the packaging that was. It was then that all the signs clicked in her head, that she had been late for a few weeks, morning sickness… it all came rushing through.

She couldn't believe that she had spent over three hours in there, most of it which was her animatedly trying to talk herself out from doing it. Barry would be home soon, and she would have to break the news. She hoped that in the midst of all the chaos of their alter-ego's lives, that this would be a sign, a bright shining gift from above that they would be able to cherish and love.

Sophia was so caught up in her own thoughts as she sat on the couch, her hand resting on her stomach that she didn't notice the front door of their apartment open, and Barry walk in. Barry called her name a few times, but she didn't seem to hear him and he watched her with careful eyes, noticing the way she sat with her hand on her stomach.

"Honey?" Barry called one last time, walking closer to her this time as he dropped his shoulder bag down on the floor.

"Barry," Sophia breathed out, looking up at him with a smile. The moment their eyes met she felt more relaxed.

"Are you feeling alright sweetie?" Barry asked, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Yeah, just, uh, there's something I have to tell you," Sophia said in a soft voice.

Barry took a seat next to her on the couch, throwing one arm around her, giving her a reassuring look, urging her to go ahead.

"I-I'm pregnant," Sophia blurted out, unsure of how to word it.

Barry froze, his eyes widening almost comically. "You're," He said, his eyes glancing down at her stomach before back at her face. "We're-," He couldn't get the words out, they were stuck in his throat.

" _Yeah_."

"You're pregnant," Barry breathed out, still in shock before a grin erupted on his face. "We're having a child!"

Barry leapt forward, pulling her into his warm embrace, as they let out tears of happiness and laughter. He had wanted this for the longest time, and even though it was a surprise that it had happened now, he couldn't be more elated that it was time. That his family was finally coming together.

"Oh, I can't believe it," Barry said, and she smiled up at him, putting the look on his face to memory.

"Well, you better, because in less than eight months, this baby is going to arrive," Sophia said, placing a hand on the side of his cheek. Tears were sparkling in Barry's eyes, and even though his face hurt from smiling so wide, he didn't stop.

" _God, I love you_." Barry leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a sweet kiss.

"I love you too," Sophia whispered against his lips, feeling his warm breath tickle her face.

"And I love you." Barry moved to press a kiss to her stomach.

"It's going to be crazy with our lives you know," Sophia said, finally bringing it up. He just gave her a smile, kissing her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"I know, but we'll make it work like we always have," Barry reassured her and she cuddled up to him, and they spent the rest of the night on their couch discussing baby names, and all the hoopla involved in her super-hero pregnancy, excitement bouncing in their step, so much so that they couldn't fall asleep that night.

* * *

 **Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.**

 **Writing the** ** _Enter Zoom_** **episode for the sequel, and man is it going to be terrifying…ly good. ;)**

 **Trying my best to write as much as I can, forgive me for taking so long.**

 **Heroherondale. x**


	17. I'd take a bullet for you too

I'd take a bullet for you too

"Why did you take that hit? You know that I could have moved out of the way fast enough, you know I have accelerated healing, so why did you jump in front of me?" Barry's voice wasn't as loud as to be considered yelling, but it was certainly getting there, Sophia mused to herself. The rest of the team had evaporated from the room fast once she had awoken, finally roused from her slumber that she had been quickly induced into after the massive blood loss following their recent mission.

She was now laying in the med-bay in the watchtower, waiting for the robotic nurse to come back with a sling for her right arm. She had been on the receiving end of two bullets, one to her shoulder, just missing her collar bone, and the other puncturing the flesh of her upper arm. She was lucky that nothing was broken, but her torn and bloody flesh had still been enough to scare the daylights out of her friend and partner The Flash. She hadn't been thinking when she dived in front of him. It was just pure instinct. Her body moved before her mind could.

She didn't want him to ask her why she did it because she didn't have an answer. Why didn't she just yell at him to move? He was certainly faster than bullets, he could have made it out in time. Why didn't she just use her powers and create a shield to prevent the bullets from hitting him in the first place? Why didn't she blast the gun out of the gang members hand before he had the chance to pull the trigger? These were all valid questions but she didn't have an answer.

"Barry, do we really have to do this now? I'm tired and frankly I don't know what to say," She mumbled, avoiding his gaze. She could feel her cheeks blazing in embarrassment. She was a hero for goodness sake, and she couldn't even do her job properly. She'd probably be off patrol for at least a week until she healed completely.

"Yes we have to do this now, why did you do it?" He asked as he paced around the room, his feet stomping on the floor.

"Because I love you," She blurted out in anger, regretting it as she saw him freeze in his step. Her heart was beating faster and she wanted to scream at the stupid machine next to her to stop beeping as it detected her heartrate. She pulled off the little monitor that had been attached to her finger to stop the incessant noise, trying to focus on anything other than his frozen posture in the middle off the room as the heat travelled up her neck and onto her face. She closed her eyes and tried to take deep breaths, praying that this was all a dream, that she hadn't just admitted what she did, knowing it would ruin their dynamic and friendship forever. She knew that Barry Allen would never be in love with her, but here she was telling him that the reason why she had put her life on the line, and had taken two bullets for him was because she was in love with him.

 _God save me now._

"W-What did you just say?" He asked, his eyes wide and unsure as he stared at her form, perched awkwardly on the bed as she tried to make herself seem smaller.

"I-Uh, nothing."

"That wasn't nothing, Soph."

She bit her lip as she looked down at her hands, thankful that the robotic nurse had entered the room just as it did, wrapping the sling around her arm and shoulder carefully. It gave her a moment to gather her thoughts before they were once again left alone in the room, her previous confession hanging over her in the air like a gun pointed at her…ironically it seemed.

"I wasn't thinking straight," Sophia admitted, speaking softly. Barry moved towards her, taking a seat on the edge of her bed, taking her uninjured hand in his as she continued to speak. "I saw the gun pointed at you and it's like I stopped functioning. I froze, I couldn't yell, I couldn't scream at you to move and so I just flew in front of you instead of doing anything else. It was just instinct to protect you…because… _I do love you_ , and I'm not going to apologise for that." Tears had gathered in her eyes as she finished and she tried her best to keep them at bay.

"I'm not angry with you," Barry spoke up. "I was terrified that I was going to lose you, b-because I love you too, and seeing you there, unconscious in my arms with blood seeping from your suit, I-I was so scared."

"I'm okay now, I'm safe, you don't need to be scared." She felt a pang of guilt when she saw the lone tear trickle down his cheek. Her finger hovered over his cheek and she wiped away the tear, her hand resting on the side of his face. She leaned her head against his forehead, both of them closing their eyes as they relished in the intimate contact.

It was silent for a moment as he took in a few shaky breaths, trying to steady his breathing before a smile broke out on his face, quirking on one side of his mouth.

"So you love me, huh?"

"Don't let it go to your head, your ego is already massive," Sophia teased.

"It's alright, I don't mind… after all, I'd take a bullet for you too love."

Sophia didn't bother replying before she moved, softly pressing her lips against the corner of Barry's mouth, letting out a sigh against his lips as she let her body act over her mind once more.

* * *

 **Thanks to AndySteve1311 for the inspiration. Keep posting ideas, and keep reviewing, it keeps my morale and motivation up!**

 **Beginning chapter 9 of the sequel today. Worried about how I'm going to get most of this done and work, study and intern… studies start back up next week, but I'm trying my best. I want to post the sequel as soon as I can.**

 **Love you guys.**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	18. Undercover?

Undercover?

"Undercover, you, Sophia, the clumsy nurse, the same girl who tripped over air, and nearly dislocated her shoulder?" Cisco asked, pausing in between to make sure that he enunciated each point carefully.

"That was one time!" Sophia exclaimed as Barry and Caitlin burst out into laughter. "Plus, you did forget to mention the fact that I happen to be a badass super-hero," Sophia said, placing her hands on her hips. "Also, I'm not _that_ clumsy."

"Sounds fake, but okay," Cisco stated, his tone flat, but the implication of his words sarcastic.

" _Ugh_ , you are incorrigible," Sophia muttered under her breath. She turned, looking at the others in the room. Sitting around the table, with scattered coffee cups, and empty plastic casings that once held iced chocolate donuts, and strawberry cheesecake cups they tried to manage to squeeze their butts on to chairs, others leaning against the tables in a comfortable position as they listened to Sophia's proposition.

"I'm all for the idea," Joe piped up. Sophia had made some good points, and he was sure that they wouldn't have a better opportunity to get a result like the one she had spoken about. She gave him a smile in thanks and he returned it with one of his own. They were running low on ideas and this had promise, and Joe found that it wasn't as insane as some of the ideas Barry had come up with in the past, so he was all for it.

"Though I dislike the risks, and the fact that there is a lot riding on Sophia's performance undercover, it doesn't sound like the _worst_ idea," Caitlin supported.

"Thanks Cait," Sophia said appreciatively.

"What do you think Barry?" Cisco asked. He knew that if the team went ahead with it, he would be there for support and back-up, but he wasn't sure what Sophia's boyfriend, and The Flash thought about it all. It was dangerous, but they were superheroes after all, and Cisco was sure that they had competed far more excitable things in the past. The risk with this was someone discovering Sophia's identity. It was a masked event, but he knew that it was possible.

"Not really a big fan," Barry said, carefully choosing his words. He wasn't outright dismissing the idea of it happening, but he wasn't exactly approving it either. He didn't like the idea of Sophia walking into the line of fire by herself, and undercover for that matter either. He knew that it was important to gather the information they needed to discover Snart's next move, but he was sure that they would be able to figure out another way…surely.

"Barry," Sophia's voice was as sweet as honey, and Barry knew in an instance what she was trying to do. She was trying to butter him up. She walked up to him slowly, fluttering her eyelashes, making her big brown doe eyes stand out, puckering her pink lips lightly, making him desperate to capture them in a kiss. He blinked, trying to force those thoughts out of his head and not let her get to his head. "I'll be fine, I'm Sapphire after all, besides we both know that the best way to get to Snart is through me," Sophia spoke softly in a sultry tone, making Barry weak at the knees.

"I-I just don't think it's the g-greatest idea," Barry stuttered out. She was a vixen and judging by the smirk on her lips at his momentary struggle to form a coherent sentence, she knew it as well.

Across the room Joe and Cisco snickered at Barry's expression, and Caitlin just shook her head, dragging the two men out of the room as they left Sophia and Barry to talk it out. They knew that it would either end in yelling, or the two in a lip-lock and they would rather not be there to witness either of the situations, knowing that they both called for the follow up of awkward silences, and stares. They all knew that once Sophia had set her mind to something, she was going to go through it.

"It's not like it's the first time I've gone undercover," Sophia reminded him. "Besides, it's Snart. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me," Sophia said. "At least I think he wouldn't."

"Exactly, you're not sure," Barry pointed out. He didn't want her to get hurt.

"Nothing is without risk."

"It's not worth it, not if you get hurt," Barry murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, but being so close to him, she heard it as clear as day.

"Then I guess you'll have to keep a close eye on me," Sophia told him, gazing into his eyes with a fire that pulled him in.

"You're not going to let it go are you?"

"Nope."

"Then I guess I better get myself a suit."

"Uh-, I meant your red suit," Sophia said sheepishly. "You didn't think you'd be my date did you?" Sophia asked innocently causing Barry to flush a light pink. "That's Snart's job."

"One day, I am going to kill Leonard Snart," Barry muttered under his breath, eliciting laughter out of Sophia. She shook her head, stepping on her tippy toes and leaning towards Barry, her cheek brushing lightly against his as her lips travelled to his ear, allowing her to whisper the next words into his ear, her warm breath tickling his skin.

"He might be my date to the event, but he's not who I'm going to take home with me at the end of the night." Sophia's words seemed to have worked their magic, and a second later, Barry's hands were cupping her cheeks and his lips claimed hers as they reminded each other they were the only ones for each other.

 **A / N – This was super random.**

 **On another note, just started my studies back up, and I'm stressing already, which means less time to write the sequel. Planning on posting it soon though with what I have so far, and I guess we'll see how things go from there.**

 **Please leave a review, it always warms my heart. (p.s. don't forget to leave ideas).**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	19. You're Family

You're Family

"Wally, what are you doing here, it's three in the morning?" Sophia asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. When she heard the light knocking on the door she had slipped out of bed, leaving a seemingly undisturbed Barry sleeping soundly under the covers to go and investigate.

What she hadn't expected was to see Wally West standing on their doorstep, dripping wet and a scowl on his face. She knew that it had been pouring rain outside for the last few days, and that he must have gotten caught up in the storm, but why he was standing there at this time of the morning was baffling at the very least.

"Jesse and I had a fight," Wally said with a clenched jaw, his thoughts flittering back to the memory of their most recent argument.

"Come inside," Sophia said, letting out a sigh as she watched him trail his wet shoes into the hallway of their home. She wanted to cringe because she had just cleaned up, but she knew that she could always get her husband to do it in a flash.

"Why don't you head into the guest room, there's some spare clothes in the top drawer, I'll put the kettle on," Sophia told him, forcing back a yawn as Wally nodded. He was gone in an instant, leaving her to her own devices.

Sophia trudged into the kitchen, tugging on her pyjama bottoms as they slipped a little. She looked down with sleepy eyes and frowned at them when she realised it was still loose. She had jumped into bed in a haste and had put on a pair of Barry's instead of her own. She let out a small giggle, pulling the drawstring until it fit snuggly on her hips. _That's more like it._

She hadn't even gotten the mugs out of the cupboard when Wally had whooshed into the kitchen, now dry and looking more comfortable in a pair of sweatpants and a tee. He slumped down in a chair faster than her eyes moved at that time of the morning, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes caught the clock hanging in the hallway. It was so late and he felt terrible for dropping in like this, but he didn't want to disturb his father at this time of the night knowing how busy he was, and Iris was on a work vacation in Coast City.

He had originally planned to speak to Barry, but when Sophia answered the door he realised that she was probably the better choice for this conversation in the first place. She had spent a lot of time with Jesse and she was bound to know girls better than Barry, so he hoped that she would be able to give him some advice. He was just so exhausted and he didn't want to fight with Jesse anymore, and he needed to just vent and get a new perspective on things.

"Any particular request?" Sophia asked bringing him out of his thoughts. She was standing on her tippy toes as she reached for the cupboard that held the countless box of teas and he was tempted to go and help her, but it was a moment later that her brain kicked in, pushing the sleep out as she floated, her body moving higher until she was comfortably able to reach what she needed.

"Whatever you're having is fine," Wally said, leaning his arms on the wooden table, resting his head in his hands with a heavy sigh.

"Green tea it is," Sophia mumbled, the kettle wheezing, indicating that it was done boiling.

She sat down across from him a minute later, a warm cup of tea settled across from him, the steam evaporating like little smoke clouds, bringing an aroma of peppermint and jasmine with it.

"So tell Mama Allen what's going on," Sophia joked. She tried not to speak too loud, not wanting to rouse Barry in the middle of the night. She knew that he had been having a rough time lately what with balancing work and life as a superhero and she wanted him to get some rest. Sometimes these speedsters moved so fast that they forgot that sometimes they just needed to stop moving, to press pause and take a break before they burnt themselves out.

"I thought you didn't take his name when you got married?" Wally asked, deflecting the question.

"Formalities. I hyphenated, sort of, anyway, back to the real problem," Sophia said, taking a sip of her drink. "What happened between you and Jesse?"

"We had a fight," Wally stated, tightening is hold on the mug even though the heat was starting to burn his fingers. He found that it was a good distraction from his pain and hurt in the moment.

"I gathered that much, genius."

"She wants to go back to Earth 2," Wally blurted out and suddenly he felt worse than he had before. Saying it out loud to someone other than himself finally made it seem…real. Reality hit him in the gut and he wanted nothing more than to just curl up into a ball and stay like that…indefinitely if possible.

" _Oh Wally_ ," Sophia sighed. She reached out and placed her hand on top of his. She sort of felt terrible for being sarcastic with him when something this big had happened.

"I don't know why, she just wants to go back. I told her I loved her and now she wants to go back, why would she do that?" Wally asked, his expression crumbling into a thousand pieces. He had usually been quite well at hiding his emotion but in that moment he fragile enough to crack.

"Maybe she's scared."

"What does she have to be scared about? Why does she have to run away?"

" _Love_ ," Sophia whispered. "Love is no easy thing, Wally. I remember when I first realised that I loved Barry. I was ecstatic, happy that I had found someone who ignited such feelings inside… but I was also terrified. Of what it would mean for not only me, but for the both of us. How it would change our relationship, our lives," Sophia said, pausing as she took a sip of her drink, leaning back in her seat.

"Try and think about it from Jesse's point of view. Her life has always been…scattered. She lost her mother as a child, Wells doesn't exactly win father of the year award, and then all that crap that happened with Zoom. She's just human, like anyone else. She's afraid of what love could mean for her, because love is letting down your guard, its letting someone in when you might not be ready to show yourself to the world. She wants to go back to Earth 2 because its home, she knows that it's stable, it's a logical move. She's a bit too much like her father, she's just trying to come up with the most rational solution to keeping herself safe, because even though falling in love is this wonderful thing, it also means being vulnerable, opening yourself up to heart break."

"I never thought of it like that before," Wally admitted. Listening to Sophia phrase it that way, showing him Jesse's perspective made him realise what he needed to do.

"Go talk to her, explain to her how you feel, get her to open up to you, find out why she wants to go back, that's the first step to fixing this all," Sophia told Wally. "But most of all, be patient. Sometimes when you're constantly moving so fast you forget that everything else is still standing still, sometimes you just need to slow down."

"Barry broke the dishwasher again didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did, but that's not the point," Sophia said letting out a little laugh.

"Talk to her, be patient, slow down, got it," Wally said, giving her a smile. "Thanks for this, I meant it."

"No worries, we're family after all," Sophia spoke, a heart-warming smile forming on her lips. "Come on then, up to bed. You can speak with Jesse when the sun is out, alright Romeo?"

"Sure thing." Wally quickly placed their cups in the sink, rinsing them out and stacking them before heading off to the guest room to get some shut eye.

Sophia flicked the lights off and flew up the staircase, much too tired to trudge up the two sets of steps and down the hall til she reached her bedroom. She lowered herself onto the ground tip toeing as she climbed into bed, snuggling up once more by Barry's side. His hands reached out for her, pulling her into his chest, arms wrapping around her body securely. She took a deep breath, relaxing into the mattress and up against him as she drifted back to sleep, a smile on her face as she thought about how much she loved her husband, and hope that Wally and Jesse would also be able to experience love like this one day without being afraid of falling.

* * *

 **A/N – This is for Natalie. Hope this was the Wally/Sophia dynamic you were hoping for. I haven't written their first scene yet in the sequel, but I feel like they'll have a real friendly relationship. Sophia is totally the "mom" friend of their group/team at star labs, fighting for the title w/ Caitlin of course.**

 **Sequel is coming soon. (I hope).**

 **Leave a review, it's much appreciated. Thank you to all who have done so far, as well as adding this to your follow/favourite list. Love you guys.**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	20. Pokemon Go

_Pokémon Go! AU in which Barry is still The Flash, but Sophia doesn't have powers. (Very short I know, but I thought it was cute, and funny)._

POKEMON GO

"Pokémon Go!" Sophia exclaimed.

"Pokémon Go to sleep," Barry said as he buried his face into the pillow, his words muffled. He had an early morning shift and being shaken awake at 3 in the morning because of Pokémon Go was not what he had on his mind when Joe told him to get some rest for the day ahead.

"Pokémon Go!"

"Pokémon Go away."

"Pokémon Go!"

"Pokémon No!" He whined.

"Please Barry, there's a Charizard only three blocks away but I don't want to go by myself at this time of night," Sophia said, pouting in the dark. "It's dangerous," She whispered, not feeling bad at all as she tried to guilt trip him into taking her.

"Its 3 o'clock in the morning Sophia, go to sleep," Barry said as he flopped over in the bed. "You can go in the morning."

"Come on, I helped you last week when you wanted a Dragonite," She let out a sigh when he didn't budge. "Pretty please with a cherry on top," She pleaded, puppy dog eyes and a pout to match. He squinted, only one eye open and he let out a deep sigh. There was no way in hell this girl was going to give up so he had to give in. When he sat up in bed, trying to rub the sleep out of his eye she pounced on him, pressing kisses to his cheeks. A warm smile trickled onto his face despite his grumpiness after waking up, a few of her kisses easily getting rid of his tired mood.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Come on then, let's go."

"It's cold out, so please put a jumper on."

In a flash Barry had thrown a Star Labs jumper on top of his pyjama top, whisking Sophia in his arms as he ran them down to the scene as she whipped her phone out of her pocket, hovering her camera out into the open where the Charizard was located. Cisco and herself had developed a co-app just for themselves that could track rare Pokémon all around the city. Caitlin claimed it was cheating, but they told her that they were just being inventive and resourceful.

She watched her app carefully, navigating it around til the Charizard popped up on screen. Sophia laughed in excitement as she bit down on her bottom lip, holding her phone still with one hand, the other carefully swiping across the screen with her pokeballs as she tried to catch it. It took more than a few, but once she finally caught it she let out a yelp in victory, doing a little dance on the spot.

"I got it! I got it! Suck on that Ramon!"

"Can we go back to bed now?" Barry yawned.

"Yes," Sophia laughed, feeling gravity shift for a second before she found herself bouncing on the bed as Barry dropped her off. The blue light of her phone was the only light in the room and she had a smile that wouldn't wipe off her face as she admired her newest Pokémon. She decided she was going to name it The Flash in honour of Barry helping her catch it. With a giggle she quickly did so before sending a screen shot to Cisco. She was surprised as well to see that it had such a high CP and she was more than excited to gloat tomorrow morning at Star Labs, and she was cackling inside as she sent it to Cisco's inbox.

"Thanks Barr."

"You're welcome," Barry mumbled as he snuggled up to her side underneath the covers after she put her phone down, his arms snaking around her. "Now can we please go to sleep?"

"Yup," Sophia whispered, placing a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth before shuffling closer to him, closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep, a smile on her lips because 1. She just caught a Charizard and now had bragging rights against Cisco, and 2. Her boyfriend was the sweetest in the world, and she was so glad he was hers.

* * *

 **This was totally random, but I just wanted to the Pokémon dialogue at the beginning, it was so much fun to write. Also, I have been majorly distracted by Pokémon Go as has much of the world, and it's amazing.**

 **P.s. to those who do not know as of yet, THE SEQUEL IS OUT BABY. Check it out on my profile, it's titled Sapphirus Tempestasis.**

 **Keep reviewing! Love you all.**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	21. Not Letting Go

Inspired by this tumblr post: post/91352743913/so-every-morning-i-get-off-the-train-and-start-my

Not Letting Go

It was a new day and that meant Sophia was trailing the usual twenty minute walk after a thirty minute train ride into the heart of Central City.

It started off as usual with a coffee from Jitters in hand, a warm black coat on top of her dark blue scrubs and a pair of the most comfy nursing shoes she could get her hands on. She didn't have a pair of headphones in like the average commuter coming into the city, finding that this walk to work was her only chance to clear her head with peace and quiet, listening to the hustle and bustle of her beautiful city waking up in the morning as people got ready for work.

She found that she was more alert and noticed more of her surroundings. She got a chance to watch the scenery fly by on the train, enjoying the beauty that was offered in her new home. She also noted that there were a particular few that always caught the train with her at this time of the morning, even walking in the same direction towards the hospital which was also only a short block away from the CCPD.

This was her reasoning behind noticing the handsome young guy who was always in a pair of converse, his long legs exceeding her own as he walked just ahead of her every day, making it across the road before the light turned red, leaving her stranded on the other side with a groan as she had to wait for the traffic to pass and the pedestrian sign to flicker green once more. She was sure that he had noticed her too because he seemed to get a skip in his step when he reached the other side, slyly tilting his head slightly to the right to see if she had made it across before continuing his journey onto work. She figured that he worked in one of the buildings nearby, or possibly even the CCPD, but she hadn't seen him in any sort of uniform, or with any tag on him, only noting that he always carried the same bulky looking silver briefcase with him every morning.

But she gave it no further thought, quenching the idea that his smile was as bright as the sun the next time her eyes glanced over at him on the train as she watched him absentmindedly fiddle with an old worn out copy of Harry Potter in hand. And so this had gone on for another few months before a miracle had happened.

Or a near miracle at least.

She had thought it was an ordinary morning, but she had in fact been in front of him in their walk towards work. He had slumped behind, his legs moving slower than usual, and there were a few other pedestrians in between them as they continued on their normal trail. She didn't pay too much attention to this fact, only noticing it when he suddenly lurched forward as they reached the traffic light, rushing past her in a hurry, flinging his arms out as he nudged past her, heading towards the green light that was nearly up.

"I've been winning for two months, can't stop now, have a good day, see you tomorrow," He practically yelled as he ran across the street, leaving her stuck across the other side as the pedestrian signal turned red. She glared at him with flushed cheeks and crossed her arms, watching as he walked away with a grin and a wave from the other side, a skip in his step. She narrowed her eyes at him once more and let out a huff in frustration.

Sophia swore to herself that tomorrow she was wearing running shoes to work.

* * *

Sophia had gotten up earlier the next morning, not so that she could catch an earlier train, but so that she remembered to put on her best pair of running shoes. She wasn't going to let him beat her this morning.

She had caught the same train as per usual, spotting his tall and lean form as he weaved through the crowd, jumping on a carriage that was further down from the one that she usually sat at. She took her seat and felt the bounce in her bones as she took the usual twenty minute journey to her stop.

Upon getting off, and onto the streets heading in the direction of her work she noted that he was a few feet in front of her, and he knew it too. She did it on purpose. She stayed close behind, ready to pounce and make a run for it once they neared that specific traffic light. Excitement and anticipation buzzed inside of her as they came closer and closer. She decided that the time was right and she went for it. Her feet pounded on the pavement, weaving through the crowd as she nudged past him, making sure to tap the side of his arm as she ran by, sending him a grin as she throttled past him, dashing across the road, leaving him dumbfounded and on the other side since it had turned red. She turned to look at him, giving him a wink as she left the scene of the crime.

* * *

A day had passed, and when she arrived that morning she saw _him_ once again. But this time, instead of a competitive smile, or a glare that she had been expecting since she had won the previous day, she was greeted with a bouquet of tulips. She swore that she was swooning inside, but she did her best to keep a neutral expression on her face, but the smile that was threatening to slowly make its way onto her face was fighting very hard. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as soon as their fingers brushed, electricity sparking, causing her to grasp the bouquet closer to her chest.

"How did you know they were my favourite?" She asked as he handed her the flowers, a light blush tinting his cheeks.

"Intuition," He said. " _That_ and whenever the train passes that flower shop on the back of fourth, I always notice your gaze lingers on them."

"I don't know whether I should be flattered or file for a restraining order," She teased with a grin.

"Well the restraining order might be a problem, it'll be hard to take you out for coffee if we can't sit together," He replied smoothly.

"Coffee, you say?" She hummed.

"Tomorrow, Jitters at 8 o'clock," He said with a smile so heart-warming that she couldn't say no even if she wanted to.

"Don't you think introductions are in order, I mean we _are_ going out to coffee," Sophia said, looking down at the flowers in her hands as they walked their usual route to work, this time side by side.

"Barry Allen, I work at the CCPD."

"Sophia Lang, I work at CCH."

"Please to meet you," Barry said, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss on her knuckles, leaving her speechless as she froze in her footsteps, a flush of red travelling up her neck and onto her cheeks.

"See you tomorrow," Barry waved from across the street, and it was only then that she realised what he had done. He had purposely distracted her so that he could get over to the other side of the street. With wide eyes she stared at the red light with horror before she looked at him with the shake of her head to see him smirking and waving as he walked away. But even though she was annoyed she couldn't help but let out a laugh. Barry Allen was certainly different, and she wasn't so sure that was a bad thing.

* * *

 **A / N –** I had so much fun writing this. It was adorable, and with all the angst and my absence in the last two weeks, I thought I would give you guys a bit of fun.

Please send in more requests/prompts, I'm beginning to slowly run out of them.

 _Don't forget to review_! It always brings a smile to my face.

Heroherondale. X


	22. Distraction

Distraction

"I'll do it," Sapphire volunteered, most of the team turning to look at her with surprise. This certainly wasn't an easy mission, and most were shocked to see that she had volunteered so fast, snatching up the opportunity before someone else did.

The Flash watched her carefully from across the table, a frown settled firmly on his brow. He didn't like that she had volunteered, because he knew why. She thought she wasn't good enough for this team, and she was using this to prove that she was. How did he know? Because he had overheard her talking about it with Kara the other day, and though he knew it wasn't very gentlemanly of him to eavesdrop, once he heard the first word of self-deprecation tumble off her lips he couldn't stop listening, because he knew deep down how wrong she was. He had been trying to get her to see that all week, but it only ended up in them having an argument and she was now giving him the silent treatment.

"Are you prepare to do what it takes? It is imperative for the success of the mission that you complete each and every aspect with precision," Batman asked, his dark cowl hiding his true reaction.

Sapphire's eyes moved to meet Batman's as she gave a firm nod, doing her best not to shatter under the stare of those around her. She knew that besides The Flash, she was practically the youngest person here, and just because she wasn't as powerful as the graceful aliens from krypton, she knew she could do this. She had to do this.

"Any objections?" Batman directed his question at the rest of the team and when they were met with silence, he dismissed the meeting, stating that there would be another mission update at 0300 hours, and to remain on the watchtower for the moment.

"This will be dangerous, I just want to remind you of this fact Sophia," Batman said to Sapphire, as the rest of the league dispersed. Sophia tried not to take it to heart when she saw Barry run out of the room with his super speed. She turned back to Batman, meeting his gaze and giving him a firm nod. She had become close enough friends with him to know that it was in fact billionaire Bruce Wayne hiding under the cowl and cape, and she promised that she would be honest with him from that day forth. He had taken her under his wing, becoming almost like a mentor for her and she was never more grateful to have his support and guidance.

"I know, Bruce. It's what I signed up for," She said mustering up as much courage and bravery as she could, but inside she was shaking.

Her mission was to infiltrate Cadmus Labs, but not as the heroine Sapphire, or even her civilian identity Sophia Lang, but as a prisoner, as a lab rat, as one of their… experiments. The league would stage a fight, one that would lead to her capture by a member of an outside team of theirs that would deliver her to Cadmus Labs, under the guise that they had captured the Meta-human, one of the ones that Cadmus had been desperate to get their hands on for a while.

She knew that this would mean that her identity would be on the line, but seeing as though she had no living family on this Earth, she had nothing to lose. Plus the added fact that she had volunteered. Even though she wouldn't admit it, there was a part of herself that knew that if things went sideways, that if the extraction didn't work out in the end, if she wasn't able to obtain the information she needed, that it wouldn't matter.

She would be collateral damage.

But she promised herself she would try her hardest, they need to know if Cadmus Labs were trying to clone the powers of Meta-Humans to create super soldiers.

If they lost someone else on the team, then the world would surely be a darker place. She knew she was powerful, but the other members of the team were worth so much more than she was, and she knew she couldn't let them take this risk. Not when she had no one to come back to. The fact was, that if she died, the only people that would miss her, were her workmates. She didn't have any family, she didn't have a partner, _she didn't have anyone_. At least that's what she told herself to justify her sacrifice.

The team was ready, their plan solid as they got to work. They had even decided to make things a bit easier for the Cadmus team, staging a fight in Gotham near their secret headquarters. Sophia fought her friends who were disguised as rogue meta-humans, making sure to act it out perfectly. She took a few hits, some fake, others real, but it was working. She grunted loudly as Kara fake hit her in the stomach, using her flight to imitate her flying backwards and crashing to the ground.

That was their cue to leave, and for their informant to call in the Cadmus team. Sophia lay there on the ground, making sure to keep still. She had slowed her breathing down with a technique that Aquaman had shown her a while back. She counted the seconds that she used to take in a breath, then held it and then let it out. It gave the appearance that she was in a sleep like state, or even unconscious, and it kept her from focusing on something else or more like someone else.

She hadn't been able to get his face out of her head all morning. Barry hadn't spoken to her for over a week, deciding to catch her attention at the last minute before they departed from the Watchtower to play out their mission. He had caught her by the arm, holding her back as the rest of the team moved forward. He whispered an apology in her ear, and told her to stay safe. He told her that if anything went wrong he would come and get her. The sincerity and softness of his voice compared to the loud and bolstering tone she had witnessed last week had been a drastic change, one enough to send her heart into a frenzy before they left. She tried her best to focus on the mission at hand, but hearing him say those words made her heart ache.

" _Always remember, you're not alone. You're a part of this team, you're family."_

She had wanted to cry, only giving him a curt nod before leaving the room as fast as she could.

But now as she lay here on the ground, feeling her arms and legs being lifted up by god knows who as she was thrown into the back of a large truck, she was grateful that he had spoken to her before she left. She held onto his words, allowing them to wrap her up in warmth, grasping on tight as she was delivered to the devils lair.

* * *

Sophia knew that this mission wasn't going to be over in a few hours. It was meant to drag on, but after the first few days she was growing more and more agitated. She had memorised the pattern of guards that ran from the two hallways down from her left, noting that they walked past her room every 8 minutes and 45 seconds, on the dot. She commended them for their robotic like actions, but she knew that she would need more than 8 minutes to get out of her room, get the information and get out before alarm bells went ringing.

She was on her own in here and she needed to come up with a plan and quick.

They had completed their standard tests on her, taking blood samples and all other sorts, even clippings of her nails and strands of hair for DNA testing. She had to commend Batman for coming up with an idea for everything. He had gotten Zatara to put a spell on her, making each piece of evidence they took off her body untraceable to her real self. Every drop of blood, every individual strand of hair, none of it would hold the key to her powers or her true identity. It was quite smart, and it would keep them distracted for quite some time, giving her enough to get what she needed done fast. But the enchantment that had been placed on her would only last for so long. If she didn't complete her mission in another two days then it would wear off, and whatever they took from her after that point would be as real as anything.

The room she had been locked in was of course lined with something similar to that of the pipeline prison down at Star Labs, and it prevented her from using her powers. To get out of this room, she needed to use some old fashioned techniques. She had been counting the hours since she had gotten back from another test they had done at around 7pm, and she was sure that it was in the early hours of the morning by now, judging by the dulled light in the dusty hallway and the fact that the guard patrols seemed to be far and few in between in comparison to before.

She pulled out a sharpened piece of plastic cutlery that she had stolen after one of her measly meals they had thrown into the room. She had scrapped it conspicuously against the stoned walls, shaving it down till it was thin enough to be used as a weapon. She was in a cell that had metal doors and an electronic locking system, there was no picking the lock out of this one.

She listened carefully and as soon as she heard footsteps approaching she bounced into action. She was suddenly glad for playing charades so much as a child, priding herself on what a great actress she was. She pulled out the plastic knife, and sliced the palm of her hand open carefully, not deep enough to warrant stiches, but enough to get some blood flowing. She winced as the plastic cut her and she got to work quickly, using her fingertips to smear some blood just above her lip, making it look like it was dripping from her nose. She then dabbed some on the side of her ears, enough so that it actually dripped and went on her hair and clothes.

"Help, someone, I need help!" She banged against the door of the cell with her bleeding hand that was clenched into a fist. "I'm bleeding," She wailed dramatically.

"Lady, what is your issue?" The guard muttered from the other side of the door, opening the metal window in one swift motion.

"I don't know what happened," Sophia spoke, breathing heavily, her chest moving up and down rapidly, she stumbled backwards a bit, clutching her hand against her chest. "I-I just started bleeding from my nose, and then my ears," She shrieked, with wide eyes, trying to appear dishevelled and in a state of shock.

The guard's eyes took one look at the blood on her face and went pale at the sight.

"Shit, Boss said to keep her alive," The guard yelled and another came rushing to his side as the first one swiped his card and entered the code to her cell, entering without their usual care and grip on their weapons. Sophia then dropped to the ground, fainting and they both dived to catch her.

"Is she dead?"

"Shit."

"Glad you care so much boys," Sophia whispered, eyes peeking open. She grabbed the front of both of their vests and bashed their heads against each other, leaving them dizzy and disgruntled long enough for her to get back on her feet. The first guard that was much taller than the second jumped at her first and she ducked out of the way, twisting around in a swift motion her foot round house kicking him and knocking him on the floor unconscious. The second guard had just gotten up on his feet and had punched her in the stomach but she quickly recovered, grabbing his fist and twisting his arm as she brought her knee up to his abdomen, shocking him as she pulled his Taser from his side pocket.

She let out a huff of breath, wiping the sweat from her brow as she took both of their weapons. There was a baton and a Taser. She picked up the baton seeing that it had buttons on the side. She pressed the side of one and saw it light up with electricity, a smile coming to her lips as she exited the cell.

She knew that the patrol ran from the left side of the hall and the guards that brought the food came from the right, meaning that they were coming from civilisation, and the left side had to primarily be cells. She went with her gut and ran as fast as she could, her feet slick against the concrete floor, her movements almost as fast as usual and then it clicked in her head that she had her powers back now that she was out of the cell, albeit limited due to the lining of the base, but she would still be able to summon a bit of energy should she need to protect herself.

She rolled her eyes at her obliviousness but kept calm as she snuck into the room using one of the guard's key-cards that would give her access to a computer. From there she would easily be able to hack in and find out what she needed.

Alarm bells went ringing a minute or two later as Sophia had just retrieved the file she needed and sent to a secure line that Batman would be able to access. She jammed the door shut, grabbing a metal chair and putting it against the door. She used the Taser against the key-card swipe on the side, frying the base so it couldn't be used to get into the room. Now that she had barricaded herself in there, she turned around, typing away at the computer before they cut the power, sending out a SOS signal to the JLU headquarters, hoping that someone got it.

The banging against the metal door was getting louder and louder and she could see a dent forming in the middle of the door from where they had been harshly trying to push their way through. The few guards on night shift from the other side were freaking out, their leader vehemently yelling into his comm. as he spoke with higher ups on instructions.

"Boss says she's not worth the trouble, fire on sight boys," The leader spoke, whipping out his sleek black gun and aiming it at the door, waiting for his team to break through.

The air was thick with tension when the door crippled underneath the pressure and came barrelling wide open, guns opening fire on Sophia so fast that she wasn't able to get a shield up.

But before anything could even touch her, two arms were wrapped around her waist and she felt herself whisked away from the site. Her heart was pounding in her chest, she could feel the heavy thump in her fingertips, and hear it in her ears playing away like a boom box.

"I got you," The Flash said.

Sophia looked up with wide eyes and sighed in relief, her head thumping against his chest as she rested her forehead against him, letting out a shaky breath, inhaling his comforting scent.

"Thanks," She breathed out, her warm breath hitting the red leather of his chest. She hadn't looked up but from the familiar steady hum of the room she figured he had brought her to the JLU home base on Earth.

"That was a close one," Barry said, his arms coming around her tighter, reminding himself that she was there safe in his arms. He was anxious the whole way through the mission, and once he had gotten a second's glimpse at the SOS she had sent out he was already gone before anything could be said by any other member of the team.

"I knew you would be there," She countered and weaved her arms around his waist, holding onto him like he was her lifeline.

"You should have been more careful."

"It was a bit hard, but I managed in the end," Sophia deflected. In her heart she knew that if he hadn't been there she would have died then and there… and even though she thought she had come to terms with the whole martyr thing, she soon realised that she was terrified.

Barry leaned back slightly and tilted her head up, two fingers underneath her chin before swiftly swopping down and capturing her lips in a searing kiss. Sophia let out a breathy sigh as his lips melded with hers, leaning on him for support, one of his hands cradling her hair and the other sitting firmly on her waist. His touch made her feel safe, and warm inside and the longer they continued their passionate embrace the more breathless she became.

"Don't scare me like that again," Barry whispered softly as he broke away and her lips formed a smile at his words. "I can't lose you, you're too important to me." Her grip tightened and she reassured him that everything would be fine, with both words and soft kisses.

"Don't worry, I'm never letting go."

* * *

 **This was inspired by quite a few requests from you guys, a lot wanted to see Sophia in this sort of setting/situation. Hope it was entertaining and not a complete bore… I got really unsure of how to end it but yeah.**

 **Keep reviewing, it gives me life.**

 **Thanks for the new ideas guys, and Guest, I really like that Paperman Idea! But with dialogue or without dialogue is the question! I might try working on that soon.**

 **Love you guys.**

 **Heroherondale. X**


	23. Into You

Into You

"It's just a crush," He lied through his teeth, hoping that Iris bought his words.

"Sure it is," Iris laughed, evidently not believing him. She had known Barry Allen for most of her life, and if there was one thing she knew about him, it was when he was lying. His body actions, his expressions, his behaviour, even his words, it all screamed _I am lying to myself, I'm hopelessly in love with Sophia Lang, please send help._ And Iris was prepared to help.

Barry, obviously not paying attention to her reply, was caught up as he continued to stare at the beauty that was the nurse from Central City hospital.

He had worked with Sophia a few times on cases with the CCPD involving high risk patients that had been previously arrested or entangled in illegal activity. She had delivered evidence and debriefs quite often at the hospital or the police station, and he was sure that at times she was more of a liaison officer between the two departments than a nurse.

The first time he had met her, he was stunned into silence. She had short hair, bouncing just above her shoulders, and the most adorable pair of glasses perched on her nose as she examined the document in her hand, signing off evidence that the hospital was passing over to the CCPD for analysis. Her lips were a tantalising pink, supple and soft as she tugged on them lightly with her teeth. And when she finished, looking up, he was sure that a bullet had hit him right in the chest. Her eyes were brown, simple but more than that. They seemed to shine in the light, almost like a sea of gold with hues of rich bronze. And her-

"Barry? Are you even listening to me?" Iris asked, whacking the back of his head with the newspaper she had sitting on her table.

"Uh-, yeah. Yeah, you were saying-" Barry mumbled, his eyes drifting back to Iris. He could feel heat rise to his cheeks at the memory of his first meeting with Sophia, an occasion his mind flittered back to practically on a daily basis.

"How you're totally in love with Sophia Lang?" Iris laughed.

"Yeah, yeah- Wait! No, no, no," Barry protested with an undignified shriek as Iris caught him off guard. She crossed her arms and looked at him from across the both with a knowing grin.

"Really? So I didn't just catch you staring at her pick up her coffees. Or should I say, drooling?" Iris teased. She loved Barry and she wanted what was best for him, and if it meant teasing him a little, it was more than worth it. He hadn't had a serious date in a while, at least since he had met Sophia. She figured if he was so invested in the thought of her that he may as well take a chance and see where things would go, rather than just sit around and day dream about her.

"She's just _so_." Barry wasn't even able to finish his sentence before the girl they were talking about walked over, sliding down into the booth across from Barry and next to Iris.

"Fancy seeing you two here," Sophia remarked with a grin, taking a sip of her hot coffee.

"Uh, yeah, we we're just," Barry fumbled with his words, finding that he was much more nervous in her presence since they had just been talking about her, and his extremely obnoxious feelings for her. Usually he was able to keep his cool and not act like a complete fool, but he didn't know what had changed today and he was just a mess.

"We we're just grabbing a coffee before heading over to the CCPD to meet Joe," Iris said, turning to Sophia, and Barry sent her a thankful glance.

"Oh, bummer. I just got back from there. I've got to head back to the hospital for my shift in about twenty minutes. Someone called in sick, so I'm doing a double."

"That must suck," Iris said, patting Sophia on the shoulder in support.

"Yeah, I've been awake since like 3am, and I'm not even half way through my day. I'm going to be totally wrecked by tomorrow," Sophia mused, her eyes moving from Iris to Barry. She had actually been thinking of him this morning as she went to the CCPD, wondering if she would bump into him, and she had been surprisingly disappointed when Eddie told her that he wasn't on until the afternoon. She wasn't exactly sure why she was disappointed as of yet, but the longer she stared into Barry's eyes she was starting to understand. She gulped, avoiding his gaze as she focused back on her coffee cup, taking another large sip, ignoring the burning sensation as it travelled down her throat.

"But we're still on for trivia night right?" Iris asked Sophia and the girl all but nodded in response.

"Wouldn't miss out on trivia night."

"Trivia night?" Barry questioned. He hadn't heard anything of the sort.

"Jitter's is hosting a Harry Potter trivia night, all the money raised in donations from tickets will go to the children's department at the hospital," Iris explained. "Sophia has to be there regardless as a representative from the hospital."

"You should come, Barry," Sophia said, finding a burst of confidence within herself, trying not to melt as his green gaze met her eyes. He was honestly too cute for his own good.

"I'd love to," Barry said, proud that he hadn't stuttered, and Iris seemed to be as well as she grinned at the two who were currently getting lost in each other's eyes, only to be brought out of it when Sophia's phone beeped.

"Gotta run, guess I'll see you two tomorrow night!" Sophia waved goodbye as she shuffled out of the booth with her coffee to go and practically bolted out of Jitters, leaving Barry with Iris who kept waggling her eyes suggestively at the notion of Barry spending the night with Sophia tomorrow.

And despite Iris's teasing, Barry couldn't help the smile that had worked its way onto his face at the thought of it. He was hopelessly in love with Sophia Lang, and for the first time in a long time, he wasn't afraid, and he decided. He was going to tell her.

* * *

Yeah, that was a total lie.

Barry Allen was a chicken shit. He was nervous and weak at the very sight of Sophia in that blue dress she had decided to wear and he wasn't so sure about his confession anymore. He placed his hands into the pockets of his jeans in an attempt to poorly hide the tremor in his fingers. He couldn't do this.

"You can do this," Iris whispered in support. She saw the way that Barry was starting to freak out and it reminded her of the first time Eddie had told her that he loved her. He was a stuttering mess but once he started, and rolled with it, it turned out to be not only romantic, but one of her favourite memories. Iris had known Barry since he was a little kid, and she knew in her heart that he was capable of it, that's the only reason she pushed him so hard to go through with it in the first place.

But Barry was still shaking in his boots and he decided that he would leave it til after the trivia night. And so they sat down at their table, Barry sitting next to Sophia with Iris and Eddie across from them.

Their team ended up winning the competition for the night, only because Sophia and Barry were the biggest Harry Potter nerds in Central City. Iris answered quite a few questions as well, finding her speciality lay in spells, their names and function whereas Sophia was better with the character relationships and interactions and Barry with the actual history of the magical world. And Eddie, poor Eddie was only able to answer the really obvious questions, but nonetheless still had a good time, cheering and supporting his team.

Sophia was happy with the overall turn out. There were more people than expected there and she was happy because she knew that this would have a great impact on the hospital since all the money would be donated. They decided to head out to a diner after to grab a bite to eat and something to drink that wasn't coffee and somehow Sophia and Barry found themselves sitting across from each other in a fairly empty dinner, all by themselves in the red booth, their friends having left them quite a while ago with the excuse of work early in the morning.

They had laughed and conversed about anything and everything until it was late into the evening and it was mutually decided to end their night of fun. Barry had insisted that he would drop Sophia off at her house even though she lived a few blocks away. It was dark out, and he knew too well how dangerous the streets of Central City could become once the sun had set.

Sophia was now standing at the doorstep to her apartment building, having turned to face Barry

"So," Sophia said, biting the inside of her cheek, unsure of what to say. She found that the longer she found herself alone with Barry, the more her feelings started to spurt out of that hidden corner deep inside her, ready to burst alive once more. This wouldn't have been an issue if she had the slightest inkling that he was interested in her, but at this point in time she had no idea.

"So…" Barry was in the same boat, unsure of what to say, his heart beating uncontrollably as his mind raced to find something to talk about.

"Thanks for tonight, it was fun… we should, uh, do it again," Sophia said, finding herself blushing as the thought of him kissing her goodnight flew through her head.

"Yeah," Barry breathed out, his mind racing as he admired the sight of her in the moonlight.

"Goodnight."

But Barry didn't reply, instead he grabbed her wrist as she was about to move through the front door of her building, tugging her back to him.

"Wait a second."

"Yeah, what's up?" Sophia asked, an inquisitive look on her face. She wondered why Barry had pulled her back.

"I, uh, promised myself that I would ask you this thing, that, I, uh, have been meaning to for a while now," Barry said, letting go of her hand and awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as he tried to search for the right words to say.

"Do you maybe want to go out sometime, with me, like on a date?" Barry asked, fumbling with his words as he did. He was looking down at his shoes, avoiding eye contact in the fear of rejection.

"You know what?" Barry looked up shyly at her words. "I'd love nothing more than that."

"Really?"

"Yeah," She breathed out with a smile, taking a step closer to him.

"Can I kiss you?" She giggled at his question, nodding as his hands came up to hold her warm cheeks.

"I thought you'd never ask."

And we all know how that little silly stupid crush ended.

* * *

 **A/N – I am drowning in work, hope this was enjoyable. I wasn't sure about the ending… but I just wanted to get this out there, so there you go.**

 **Thanks for all the latest reviews/follows/faves and the few requests you guys have sent in, I'm writing a long list down and I'll try to incorporate your ideas into some stories.**

 **Thanks for all the support.**

 **Look out for a new update on Sapphirus Tempestasis in the next week or so… it's either going to be a few days early or a few days late, depending on how finals go.**

 **Heroherondale. x**


	24. Dangerous Love

Dangerous Love

Dark thunderous clouds rolled in across the night sky, dragging along crazed winds, rain pounding on the grey stone pavement. Sophia looked up to the gloomy sky and groaned as she felt the cold water fall upon her, stinging her skin as the ice cold rain kissed her cheeks.

She pushed her feet faster and harder across the pavement as she ran into a convenience store that was open at the crazed hour of two am in Central City. She had just finished a night shift at work only to realise that she had practically no food left in her house, and ordering take out at this time of the night was out of the question. Evidently, her decision to go to the convenience store to pick up some eggs and milk was a bad idea, and made purely based on the rumbling of her stomach and sudden craving for an omelette.

Sophia pushed the glass door of the shop open, the bell on the side jingling as she walked in. She dragged her wet form inside for both shelter and her search of food. Sophia glanced up at the sound of a greeting from the shop keeper she knew too well, throwing the old lady a warm smile.

"Morning, Mrs. Vani," Sophia said, pushing the off soaked hood of her jacket.

"A bit late for shopping isn't it? But I guess you keep me in business," Mrs. Vani joked with a smile.

"Of course." Sophia laughed. "I ran out of milk and eggs again, and there's nothing left in my fridge."

"Well you're lucky I just restocked the fridges at the back. Help yourself."

Sophia moved off to the fridges when another patron entered the shop, a man dressed in a black hoodie, and a baseball cap. He threw a glowering look at Sophia who just ignored it, moving to grab the stuff she needed. Sophia was just about to head over to the counter to pay after having grabbed her necessities plus a whole bunch of junk food when she heard a loud bang from the front.

Sophia moved swiftly, peering over from one of the small aisles to see the man with a hand gun pointed at Mrs. Vani, demanding money. With a deep breath, Sophia placed her basket down on the ground quietly, before figuring out the best course of action.

If she called the police they wouldn't be there for another five minutes, and judging by the way the man stood, she hoped he didn't have any more firearms hidden. She took her phone out of her pocket, and dialled 911, leaving her phone tucked safely in her pocket on speaker, hoping that the emergency callers would hear what was going down.

This guy had clearly been on something because Sophia had snuck up being him as he yelled at Vani who was pulling the cash out of the till with shaky hands. With a swift hit, Sophia had brought her straight hand down on the inner elbow of the gunman's right arm, the gun flying out of his grasp and onto the floor far away from them, screaming in pain as he clutched his arm. He then turned his attention to her, and she ducked quickly before his fist could make contact with her face, sticking her leg out behind his feet and pulling back, knocking him to the floor.

"Mrs. Vani, go to the back," Sophia yelled as the man got back up from the floor, making a move to hit her as she blocked it. The older lady did as she said, and as Sophia's eyes glanced to see her escape to safety, it left her defenceless, and she groaned as she took a fist to her jaw, the momentum enough to leave her sprawled on the floor. She tried to push herself up only to freeze when she saw the man standing in front of her with the gun now pointed at her chest.

What happened next was all in slow motion.

The Flash had run into the store just as the trigger had been pulled, catching the bullet mid-air before it hit the girl laying on the ground and watching with terrified eyes. He then took out the robber, knocking him out and tying him up, leaving him there for the authorities to deal with.

Sophia let out a strangled gasp as she blinked, her eyes darting to the man in red leather that had just saved her life. He held out his hand to her and she took it without hesitation, holding onto it firmly as he pulled her up and off the ground.

"Are you alright?" His left arm was firmly wrapped around her waist, the other holding her up by her arm.

"Yeah, I think so," Sophia said as she brought a hand up to her jaw where she could feel the pain radiating. She knew that it would be bruised by the morning considering she could already feel the bump underneath her skin.

"You took a nasty hit there," The Flash pointed out, his gloved hand reaching out to softly caress her cheek where she had been hit.

"It'll bruise for sure, but it was worth it," Sophia said, her eyes meeting his, sending the butterflies in the bottom of her stomach into a frenzy.

"That was really brave of you, but also kinda stupid, you could have been shot," He berated.

"I don't know whether to thank you for the compliment or hit you for the insult," Sophia glowered at the superhero.

He shook his head, giving her a worried look before smiling at her. "You should be more careful, you could have gotten killed."

"It was either me or Mrs. Vani, the old lady who works here," Sophia said, as though it was an obvious choice she had made. It was then that it suddenly clicked in her head that she hadn't checked on Mrs. Vani. She pulled herself out of The Flash's warm grasp and ran to the back to find Mrs. Vani.

"Mrs. Vani! Mrs. Vani are you alright?!" Sophia called out, her eyes darting around until they found the old woman's shaking form as she hid herself between a couple of old storage boxes.

"I'm alright."

Sophia let out a sigh of relief and then turned back to see that The Flash had disappeared, the cops entering the store to apprehend the criminal. Sophia was disappointed that her hero had left so soon, but she had a feeling that this wasn't the last time she would see him.

* * *

 _3 days later._

Sophia had met up with Iris and Barry at Jitters for their weekly catch up. She was glad that it was the end of the week and she would be able to relax and kick back until her weekend was over. After hearing what had happened, Iris had rushed over to Sophia's place to 1. Make sure that she was alright, and 2. To get an exclusive story on what had happened for an article, something she was glad to help out with.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Iris asked as Sophia took a seat across from the reporter and Barry in the comfy booth situated in the back of the coffee joint.

"Much better, the bruise is going down, at least I think," Sophia smiled, warming Barry's heart. He felt conflicted over what had happened, but was just glad that he had been there in time to catch the fatal bullet. It had been a deep purple, with hues of blue and red even, the hit leaving her jaw swollen for a few days. But it had started to come down, and with the power of concealer and foundation, she was able to hide it pretty well.

"That's good to hear," Barry said. "I heard from Iris that The Flash was the one to save you." Barry took a sip of his coffee and tried to be as nonchalant as possible as he tried to dig a bit deeper. He was curious as to Sophia's standing on his alter-ego and what better way to find out than ask the source directly.

"Well, I had things handled pretty well up until the robber got his hands back on his gun, and then yeah, he just swooped in so fast, I barely knew what was happening," Sophia recounted, the scenario playing out in her head all over again. "He saved my life, but he was out of there so fast I didn't even get out a thank you."

"I'm sure he knows," Iris said with a sly smirk of her own, her eyes darting over to Barry who was blushing after hearing Sophia's words.

"I hope so. I know that I couldn't sit by and let that old lady get hurt, but I was kind of rash… if he hadn't been there in time…" Sophia didn't finish her sentence, the three sitting at the table all knowing what was left unsaid. She would have died. Just that thought made Barry squirm in his seat. He reached out across the table, catching her hand in his, squeezing it lightly for support.

"Don't think about the ifs. The Flash saved you and I'm sure he knows how appreciative we all are that he did," Barry told her, giving her a small smile.

Sophia was beginning to think that she would never run into The Flash again. After that night he had saved her, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

"Yeah, I just wish I could say thank you in person. I was kind of snappy and now that I think about it I feel bad," Sophia said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he didn't think anything of it," Iris said.

"Mmm," Sophia hummed before looking at her watch that sat on her wrist. "Well, this was lovely, but I better be going. I have a lot of laundry to do. My dryer broke and so I have to resort to hanging my clothes on the rooftop of my building and pray that no one steals my underwear," Sophia said causing her two friends to laugh.

"It was good to see you. We should all catch up tomorrow night for drinks if you're up for it," Iris suggested as she gave Sophia a hug.

"Sounds like a plan."

She then moved to hug Barry goodbye, and noticed as she did so that there was something familiar about his arms around her and The Flash's from a few days ago. But she threw that thought out of her head, and gave him a smile before leaving the coffee joint and heading home.

* * *

The walk home took her about twenty minutes, but it was relaxing, the cool breeze lifting her hair up as she strolled throughout town.

It was now a few hours later that she had finished hanging the majority of her washing, hoping that the strong breeze wouldn't knock any of her belongings and send them flying in the wind. She was just about to head back down to her apartment when suddenly, a gush of wind brought along an unexpected guest.

"Flash," Sophia breathed out with wide eyes, surprised to see him standing before her. He gave her a grin, but she couldn't see it properly, his face was moving too fast for her to get a good look. But she was sure that there was a smile hidden under all the blurriness.

"Sophia," The Flash greeted. "It's good to see that you're alright. I just wanted to check up on you after what happened, make sure that you weren't getting into any mischief."

"I'm fine, but you know me, you can never be too careful," Sophia threw back with a smirk, her inner self berating her for the flirty tone she had switched on.

"Of course."

"So how come you didn't come sooner? Huh? It's been three days," Sophia questioned playfully as she crossed her arms.

"Three days? You've been counting."

"And waiting."

"What for?"

"I thought it might be nice to actually thank you for saving my life," Sophia said, seriousness seeping into her tone. "I was a bit frazzled that night and I didn't get a chance to say it amid all the chaos."

"There's no need to thank me, it's kinda my job," The Flash said.

"Really? So do you always visit the pretty damsel in distress a few days after you've saved their lives? Because if so, I think I missed the memo," Sophia teased, taking a step closer towards him. She hadn't realised but they had somehow found themselves standing nearly in front of each other during their conversation.

She also realised that he had stopped moving his face around and she could see his features much more clearly. It was no way enough to give away his identity, but she could see the definition of his prominent cheekbones, the strong line of his nose, and his pink lips. When her eyes glanced back up at his, she realised that she hadn't been the only one sneaking a peek. His green eyes were trailing her lips and it sent her cheeks flushing and her heart into a frenzy.

"Not usually, but I made a special exception for you," He admitted, unable to keep the words in when she was looking at him like that.

"Did I thank you, yet?" She asked in a breathy tone as he moved closer towards her, a gloved hand resting upon her cheek. The attraction and tension between them was electrifying and it drew Sophia in like a magnet.

"I think you were just about to."

Before either one of them realised what was happening, their lips had melded against each other in a moment of uncertain passion. Sophia's arms moved from being slack on her sides to wrapping lazily around his neck. The Flash had kept one hand stable on her face, guiding his mouth to hers expertly, while the other held a tight grip on her waist. Sophia let out a breathy sigh against his lips when he pressed himself up against her, her back hitting the wall of the stairwell to the roof. His tongue traced the seam of her lips, and she didn't have any intention of denying him further access. She couldn't believe that she was standing on her rooftop, making out with the city's hero who happened to be dressed clad in red leather.

With one last kiss, that was quite length, Sophia pulled away in the slightest, their faces still inches from each other as she took in deep breaths. Her stomach was filled to the brim with butterflies, a frenzy of emotion bursting inside her chest.

The Flash felt breathless as he stared at Sophia, unsure of what had just happened. Actually, scratch that. Barry Allen was quite aware of what had happened, and why. He had been hopelessly attracted to Sophia Lang for a long time, but it was only since their recent meeting, in a different form that he had been mercilessly dragged back into his infatuation with the nurse. He knew what he had to do. They had been friends for a long time, he knew her, and he trusted her. He just hoped that by revealing who he truly was to her, that she would still trust him.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to articulate his obvious feelings, the sound of sirens blaring in the distance broke them both out of their daze.

"I-, uh," He stumbled backwards, pressing the comm. button on his ear that he had turned off earlier. Cisco was throwing instructions at him and an address in an instant. "I have to go."

"Duty calls," Sophia said bitterly, but it came out more breathless than anything. She was still recovering from their recent bout of kissing. She was sure if it had gone on any longer she would be in a kiss-induced coma.

"I'm sorry," He whispered before rushing off the scene, leaving a gust of wind in his wake, berating himself for ever thinking that he could be something more than friends with Sophia Lang. It was just too dangerous. Guys like him, they never got the girl.

* * *

Sophia wasn't so sure why The Flash had apologised that day. He was Central City's knight in shining armour. It was his duty and responsibility to help those in need. She had seen on the news later that night about the accidental fire that had broken out at a downtown clothing factory and didn't hold it against him for having to leave before they could have a conversation about whatever it was that occurred between them.

But in the coming days, it became clearer.

It was like a bucket of water had been dropped on his head, as though he realised what he had done. He had apologised because he didn't intend to come back and finish what he had started, and she felt like a complete and utter idiot.

Slowly the days merged into weeks and Sophia had tried her best to give up on the idea of The Flash. She figured it was a one-time thing. That he had charmed her, gotten what he wanted and left. At least that's what she tried to tell herself. It was easier to try and hate him than anything else.

Sophia then threw herself into her work. She took on as many extra shifts at the hospital as she could, and when she had down time, she holed herself up in her apartment or the gym. She had found a new pleasure in working out, noting that boxing was quite therapeutic for a broken heart. Though, naturally when things were starting to get back to normal, _he_ just had to come running back into her life.

She had been walking down the street innocently enough, though it was quite late into the night. It was nearing eleven pm, the sun had set a few hours before and she was walking back to her apartment from a late night work out session at the gym. Her arms were sore, and her legs tired after the intense training session but there was a good pain to the rawness of it all. It felt like she had accomplished something.

But evidently, the thieves and scum that crawled through the dark and dirty streets of Central City had other plans for her. Should there have been one person, she was sure she would be able to take them on. But add three into the equation, and a few pocket knives and she was thoroughly out numbered.

Sophia ducked a knife swipe that had been directed at her face, sticking her leg out low for the assailant to trip on. Once that one was on the ground, she had bounced back up, throwing her the heel of her palm towards the face of another who recoiled, holding his chin in pain as he stumbled backwards through the dark alleyway. She was just about to throw her fist at the throat of the last guy when he caught her hand tightly. It was at this moment that she eyed him up, gulping as she noted how much taller and bigger he was than she. She did her best to keep her expression neutral, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm, but this didn't last long because one of the other cronies had swiped the side of her leg with his jagged knife, cutting swiftly through her black tights and the flesh of her right thigh.

She screamed in pain, stumbling backwards but not too far considering the man still had a hold of her arm, twisting it so hard she hoped that it wouldn't snap under the pressure. It was in that moment that she began to panic, realising that there wouldn't be a way out. All she could make out in the dark was a large fist heading towards her face when suddenly, with a rush of air, she was no longer standing in the dark and dingy alleyway, but now in the warm lighting of her apartment.

She let out a strangled gasp, her heart racing inside her chest. Wet tears were beginning to form, trickling down her cheeks as she tried to orientate herself. She had been so terrified that no one would come to rescue her, that she would actually die at the hands of some scum in an alleyway, her body left as a play toy for them before it would be found the following morning, with no life and mutilated beyond recognition.

A second later, a blur of red had entered her apartment, kneeling down on the floor, and supporting her back with strong hands.

"Sophia," The Flash called her name, trying to get her attention, but her eyes were focused elsewhere. He yelled her name one more time and this seemed to snap her out of it. Sophia glanced up with blurred vision from her hot tears to see The Flash's concerned face looking down on her.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, brushing back a piece of her hair.

"I-I'm, I'm okay," She managed to get out, but a sob escaped from her throat. "Oh god, I, they nearly, I." Her breathing became erratic and she was sure that she would succumb to a panic attack, but The Flash had it all under control.

He whisked her up in his arms and brought her to the couch, settling her down and wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. He was on his knees in front of her, holding her hands in his own and trying to get her to take slow deep breaths to stop her from hyperventilating, but it wasn't working. He wasn't sure of what else to do. If she kept it up at this rate, she would pass out due to being over oxygenated, so he did possibly the dumbest thing, he ripped off his mask and yelled at her.

"Sophia, look, it's me, it's Barry," He said, finally catching her attention. She looked at him with wide eyes, her chest still rising and falling too fast, but it was certainly slowing down.

"Barry," She whispered with disbelief. "Is that really you?" She felt even dizzier at the sight. Was she hallucinating?

"Yeah, it's me, you're safe. I took care of those guys, they aren't going to come after you. You're in your apartment, I'm here with you, you're safe," He told her once more, bringing her hands up to his cheeks so she could feel his skin, and realise that what was happening in front of her was real. He knew that she was still in shock, and he hoped that this brought her out of it.

Sophia leapt forward, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him as tight as she could. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, letting out her tears and insecurities.

"It's okay, I've got you," Barry whispered, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. "You're safe now."

* * *

Sophia wasn't sure how long they had stayed in that position, with Barry's arms wrapped around her, his comforting voice whispering sweet words in her ears, but it had certainly ended too soon.

He had begrudgingly got her to let go of him, insisting that he needed to look at her leg that had been cut. It was only once he mentioned it that she realised how much it was hurting. The previous adrenaline and shock that had been running through her system had been enough to block out the pain, but it had now come back in full swing and she regretted not looking at it sooner.

"Do you have a first aid kit?"

"Under the kitchen sink," Sophia told him in a soft voice. Her throat almost felt raw from the screaming and crying she had endured that night.

Barry zipped in and out of the kitchen in less than a second, dragging her coffee table closer to the couch and dumping the first aid kit on top. Sophia watched in a curious daze as he flipped the lid of the first aid kit and dumped out the necessary bandages and equipment he would need to fix her up.

Barry gently lifted her leg up until it was resting flat on the couch, her back against the arm rest. He tugged at the seam that had been ripped, and used a pair of scissors to cut down the rest of the leg, pulling the material apart to give him a wider space to work with, and so that he could easily clean her wound. Using some saline, he washed away the blood that had congregated around the laceration and dabbed it gently with a sterile cloth.

"I'm just going to use some antiseptic now, it might sting a little," Barry explained and she gave him a light nod in response, unsure of what to say. Her mind was still processing the events that had occurred that night, plus the added fact that her best friend, and the superhero that she had kissed that one time were the same person.

The rest was a blur to Sophia. He worked so quickly that before she knew it, he had already dressed the wound with a layer of iodine, and had it bandaged up perfectly. Somewhere along the way he had told her that it wasn't deep enough to warrant stitches, and he had taken the initiative in choosing the best bandage to do the job. She was impressed and voice this apparently unknowingly, earning a response a second later, a small smile to accompany it.

"I've had my fair few of injuries. It helps to know these things."

Barry had then entered her kitchen, grabbing two mugs and made them some hot chocolate. He knew that Sophia loved tea, but after being friends with her for so long, if there was one thing that would calm her down and relax her, it was hot chocolate, with extra mini marshmallows on top.

When the cup of chocolatey goodness was gently placed in her hands, Sophia accepted it with a soft thank you.

"What were you doing out on the streets at this time of night by yourself?" Barry asked.

"I was just coming back from the gym," Sophia said, taking a sip of her steaming drink, the aroma relaxing her already.

"Are you okay?" He asked, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked over him and realised that somehow in between running about and taking care of her, he had changed from his red suit into a pair of jeans and a jumper.

"Yeah, thanks to you. I honestly thought that," Barry didn't let her finish her sentence.

"I'll always be there for you," He said, determination set in his eyes. "I'm sorry that I left on a sour note last time. Things are certainly complicated, I didn't want you to find out this way."

"It's okay." Sophia licked her lips and turned to him. "Somehow, the more that I think about it, the less of a surprise it is. I mean, how could I have not seen it before?" She frowned, placing her now empty mug on the coffee table, next to the bloody mess of bandage and cloth.

"That's sort of the point of a mask. You weren't meant to."

"I know," She sighed. "I owe you so much, Barry." Her mind kept flittering back to all the times that he had saved her and she felt so grateful to have such a friend.

"No, you don't. I told you already, I'll always be there. I want to be," He said earnestly, inclining his head closer towards her. He had made a grave mistake those weeks ago, and he wouldn't let himself let her go again.

"And if I let you?" She asked, leaning forward, her nose brushing against his, lips mere inches from each other.

"Then I promise to never leave you again."

"I think I can work with that."

Barry's lips met hers in a loving kiss, his hands caressing her cheeks as he made a promise that he would always be there for her, that he would always cherish her, and that he would never keep a secret from her again.

And the rest folks, was history.

* * *

 **This has been sitting in my folder unfinished for so long now, and the sudden inspiration hit, so I finished it off. I was so excited to share it with you all. I hope that you enjoy it.**

 **Wishing you all a safe holiday, and a happy new year.**

 **Please leave a review, and don't forget to throw any idea's/requests my way through PM or a review.**

 **Til next time.**

 **Heroherondale. x**


	25. Losing

Losing

Teardrops trickled down Sophia's flushed cheeks, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to contain her sobs. Her chest felt tight, like someone had tied a rope around her upper body and pulled, squeezing the life out of her. The feeling became tighter and she felt faint, her vision dizzy momentarily as she sat in bed.

 _Not again, please not again._

She had woken up in a fright once more that night and the frequency of her panic attacks were increasing. It had been years since she had experienced such a severity of her anxiety, but it seemed since the tragic event that had triggered it, she had been suffering. The anxiety came trickling back day by day, and Sophia hadn't felt sleep for many days.

It had been nearly a week since the Justice League's last fight with Doomsday. They had won, but at a cost. They had lost a dear member of their team, their good friend Hal Jordan and Sophia was riddled with the painful memories, taunting her at every moment.

Her eyes were bloodshot red, her brown curls hanging wild having come out of her hair tie during the night. Her hands gripped the sheets under her as she tried to gain some control over the situation. She did her usual routine of counting the breaths she took in, holding it for a few seconds before releasing, repeating this over and over until her breathing normalised.

She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands and looked over at the clock on her bedside table that was flashing with blue lights, indicating that it was just past three in the morning. She let out another shaky breath at this realisation.

Sophia hadn't even been sleeping for more than an hour or two since the last one happened. She wanted to desperately reach out to Barry. But she felt both ashamed of her actions on the day as well as guilty for putting him through so much pain in losing his best friend.

She remembered it as though it had just happened a few moments ago. She had been thrown across the stony ground that the fight had taken place upon, her body tossed like a ragdoll, skin bruising upon impact against the tough and unforgiving floor. Her forehead was bleeding profusely, her vision blurring rapidly and an excruciating pain emitting from her leg where she had sustained a deep laceration, blood gushing from the wound. She remembered how Hal had swooped down in front of her, throwing out a bright green shield in front of them both, but somehow the piece of alien metal that Doomsday had thrown at him had flown straight through, piercing him through the chest and leaving him for dead.

She hadn't been conscious to see anything else, the shock of the event, and the loss of blood knocking her out merely seconds later, leaving her body to lay in the rubble of the battle ground as the remaining members of the league fought their hardest to destroy doomsday once and for all.

Once it was over, Barry had rushed over, picking Sophia up in his arms, Superman moving to grab Hal's body where it lay nearby. They took them up to the watchtower, and after Sophia was seen to medically and they were sure she didn't have brain damage, they took their time to mourn for their friend.

Each person mourned individually in their own way, but it was decided that whoever wished to stay over at the watchtower as to not be alone were more than welcome to do so. Barry, Sophia, Diana and Clark all took up this opportunity. Bruce had even stayed one night, but had to shortly return to Gotham, a pressing matter needing his attention. The remaining members of the league were either off world on missions or back on Earth with their families, and it made Sophia's heart ache. She wished she had somewhere to go home to.

She lived on her own with her cat, and she couldn't place this burden on her father. She still hadn't told him that she was Sapphire, and she knew that if she came home in such a state it would be very hard to explain without giving him the entire truth.

With her recovering injuries Clark had insisted that she stay at the Watchtower til she was fully recovered, noting that it would probably be the best for her.

She let out a sigh, as she sat up and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Her heart was still pounding in her chest and she knew that there was no way she would fall back asleep in this state. She decided to head down to the mess hall to make herself a cup of hot chocolate, finding that the warm drink soothing for the soul.

With tired eyes and lazy feet she practically dragged herself there, surprised to find that Barry was sitting there at a table in the corner, staring out the window and into the wide expanse of space that surrounded them, a mug of hot coffee tight in his grip. He looked up briefly as she walked in, and she tried her best to avoid eye contact in the fear of how he would be looking at her.

She still felt ashamed and guilty about what happened. She knew that if she had been faster or stronger that she wouldn't have had to rely on Hal to protect her in that moment. He wouldn't be gone… and it was all her fault. That's what she kept telling herself. The fact that Hal was Barry's best friend, practically his brother made it harder on her.

She was thankful she left her crazy curls out, her hair giving her eyes coverage as she walked over to the bench to make her hot drink. She went through the motions robotically, her eyes barely paying attention.

Once she had picked up her drink, her feet moved to their own accord taking her to the table that Barry was sitting at. She took the seat opposite from him, placing her cup down and turning to look out the window before staring down at her hands. She knew that she shouldn't have sat there, but her heart was telling her to do it. She couldn't stand to sit alone with her thoughts to haunt her.

"Hey," Barry said, causing her to look up.

"Hey," Sophia whispered softly, her eyes glancing up and then back down at the mug settled between her hands.

"How are you feeling?" Barry asked after a moment of silence. He hadn't spoken to her in a few days and he felt guilty for doing so. He just needed some time on his own to get over the trauma of what happened before he could start talking to anyone again. He missed his friend and just seeing the faces of his team mates reminded him of what had happened, and what he was now missing. His eyes carefully drifted to her forehead where she had been injured, glad to see the scar was lighter than it had been previously.

"Fine."

But the way Sophia's eyes started to droop he knew that she wasn't fine. He glanced at his watch eyes widening as he realised it was so late. He didn't realise how late he had come to the mess hall, but he was used to the late nights.

"Why are you up so late?"

"Couldn't sleep." Sophia shrugged her shoulders and regretted doing so, her muscles still aching from the battle.

"Nightmares?" He asked. He knew that if it was she wouldn't admit to it, but he was surprised when she did. He figured it was the lack of sleep that aided in her honesty in that moment.

"Every time I close my eyes, that's all I see. That moment… and I keep thinking to myself… if I had just been faster… or stronger, maybe it wouldn't have happened," Sophia's voice was soft as she spoke, but as she went on, it began to crack. "Maybe he would still be here. It's my fault he's gone."

"It's not your fault. You didn't- It's not your fault," Barry pressed, reaching out and placing his hand atop of Sophia's. She glanced up at the feeling of his warm hand on hers and a few tears escaped from her eyes, trickling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," She whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Barry moved around, throwing his arms around her as she leaned into his touch, the tension and guilt escaping her as she sobbed into his chest, feeling the occasional tear fall onto her forehead as he too cried with her for the loss of their dear friend.

"I wish I had died instead. I wish it had been me." Her strong statement had shocked Barry and he shook his head, lifting her chin up with his fingers. With tearful eyes she looked into his own, seeing the pain her words had caused, making her feel even guiltier, but she couldn't stop the feeling of helplessness that coursed through her.

"Please, don't say that… Hal wouldn't have wanted that. I know he's gone. I know it's hard, but… life goes on."

"Sorry. I just… I feel helpless right now."

"I know, just don't- please don't talk like that. I couldn't bear to lose you too," Barry spoke softly, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. She wrapped her arms tighter around him and nodded into his chest.

"I know this is terrible timing, but after losing Hal, I just don't want to take life for granted. I-I love you Barry, I have for a long time and I don't want to wait any longer, I don't want it to be too late before I tell you how I feel," Sophia confessed, her brown eyes gazing up at him.

Barry's heart was pounding wildly in his chest as he met Sophia's gaze. His eyes searched hers for a moment before he leaned down, pressing a swift kiss to her lips, cradling her head between his hands.

"I love you, Sophia Lang, and trust me when I say, I'm never letting go."

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

Thank you for all the support for this mini-series of stories.

Hope you enjoy this one, and it keeps you guys happy til the next chapter of the sequel is up. It might be a week or two til that chapter goes up. I go on holiday soon, and may not be able to get it up before I leave, so please, don't freak out. You'll get it before the end of Jan at the very latest.

Thanks again, and loving all the reviews and suggestions you guys have left me, I'm doing my very best to write some of them.

Til next time.

Heroherondale.


	26. When I Look At You

When I Look At You...

"When I look at you… I feel like I finally have a home."

Sophia looked down at the speech she had written before scrunching it up and throwing it at her wall of her college dorm. She had been writing for hours, trying to find the perfect words to articulate her feelings towards her best friend and long-time crush Barry Allen, but nothing was working.

Everything she had come up with was either too cliché or way too cheesy and she wasn't sure what to do.

"I give up," Sophia groaned, face planting on her bed causing Iris giggle next to her, poking her shoulder. Sophia frowned and buried her face further into her pillow, wanting to just mope in the pool of her sadness.

"Come on. I'm sure it'll be fine. I felt the same way with Eddie, but look how that turned out," Iris commented, bringing up her left hand, the diamond ring on her finger gleaming in the light.

"Well not all of us can get our prince charming, Iris." Sophia pouted. "Especially before we've even finished college. You've just set the bar too high for us mere peasants," Sophia joked as she rolled over, staring up at the blank ceiling.

She was feeling sorry for herself… again. It had been like this for years.

"He likes you, you know. He's just too secure in this friendship stage to move on. He's just as scared as you are about starting something new and changing what you had. But you both need to take a leap of faith and just go for it, otherwise, you're going to be miserable for eternity," Iris advised. "You have to take some risks. Some things in life are just worth it."

"You're right, Iris. I just need to tell him," Sophia said, "And I want to tell him. But the thing is, that every time I work myself up to confessing my feelings, my anxiety hits me so bad I think I'm going to pass out."

"Well, you just need to take some deep breaths, and maybe talk to him in an environment that makes you feel safe and comfortable, that way your anxiety won't be that bad."

"You really think I can do this? Me? The clumsy nerd that can't see two feet in front of her without her glasses?"

"I believe in you," Iris said. "Besides, you're Sophia Lang. You can do anything."

"You know you're literally my favourite person on the planet. I'm so blessed to have you in my life."

"I thought that was supposed to be Barry," Iris giggled.

"Ugh, you know what I mean. Thank you for being so supportive, Iris. I don't think I'd have been able to get this far without you."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go get changed. We're meant to be meeting Barry and Eddie for drinks in less than an hour." Iris glanced at her wrist, the rose gold watch indicating it was getting late.

"Remind me again why Barry and I are practically crashing your Valentine's date?" Sophia asked, sitting up on the bed.

"You guys aren't crashing anything, it's just drinks. Now go shower, and I'll grab you an outfit."

"Nothing too short please," Sophia called out as she closed the bathroom door, stripping down and getting ready for a lightning quick shower.

"You'll wear what I give you and trust me, you're both gonna thank me at the end of the night," Iris whispered to herself, a grin on her lips. She quite liked this whole matchmaking thing, and if everything went as planned, Sophia and Barry would be together by the stroke of midnight.

* * *

The bright twinkle lights that hung from the back of the large shed the party was being held in illuminated the scene, setting a romantic tone for the patrons mingling on Valentine's Day. Sophia felt out of place wearing a daring red dress. It had deep tones of scarlet, and the back dipped deliciously, her brown curls framing her face, her spectacles now gone and contacts replacing them. Iris had even done a bit of her eyeshadow, leaving golden and bronzed hues kissing her skin in all the right angles.

Iris had left her by the bar, saying she was going to look for Eddie, leaving Sophia alone nursing a glass of scotch. Sophia sat there, her purse resting in her lap as her fingers tapped against the cold glass in front of her, watching as the condensation formed on the outside as she waited for her friends to return.

"Sophia?"

She turned around when she heard her name being called, her heart almost stopping in her chest as her brown eyes laid themselves on Barry. What she didn't know was that Barry was having the exact same thoughts.

As soon as his eyes fell on Sophia his heart stopped beating in his chest, and his breath was caught in his throat, just the mere sight of her left her breathless. She was mesmerising, as always, but there was something about the way she was dressed tonight, and the way she was looking at him that made him feel like he was floating.

"Barry." Sophia smiled brightly, her eyes twinkling in the dim light. "How are you?"

"I'm great and you?" Barry asked, taking a seat down next to her, ordering himself a drink.

"I'm okay, feel a bit of out place actually," She admitted, drawing her attention back to her drink to avoid staring at him for too long. From the moment he had walked into the room she hadn't been able to take her eyes off him and she was sure that her face was a blazing red, by this point.

"Well, you look amazing."

"Thanks," She looked down blushing even further, the heat making it hard for her to breathe. "Uh, I think Iris and Eddie are around here somewhere."

"Yeah, about that... Eddie just messaged me before I got here, said he wasn't feeling well, so they're going back to his place. Looks like it'll just be the two of us." He was more than fine with the change of plans, and it seemed that she was as well. He could tell by her reaction, and it was endearing if anything, making him feel more relaxed that his company was welcomed.

"Oh, uh, yeah, that's cool," Sophia fumbled with her words, her cheeks flushing pink in embarrassment.

"So how's your final year going?" Sophia asked trying to distract herself from her thoughts about how good he looked in that dark blue shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She was doing her best to avoid glancing over at his arms every three seconds, but it was getting harder and harder as the conversation went on.

Though they were close friends, their schedules were beyond hectic and they hadn't seen each other in at least three weeks, back before the New Year had begun and the semester had attacked them with an intense workload.

"It's as good as it can be, I guess. I've been packed with a lot of work, so it's been hard to find time to socialise, or do anything else for that matter."

"Same. I find it so hard to juggle assignments and studying for finals with a social life. It's tough but at least we're at the finish line," Sophia laughed. "I can't wait to get out of here."

"Are you going to stay in Central City or," Barry left the question open. He desperately hoped that her answer was, yes. He didn't want her to leave, a fact that he was beginning to realise these past few months. He had grown attached to her in a way that was more than just about them being friends. When he looked at her, all he could think about was being with her, and he promised himself that he would make a move. He wasn't going to sit around and wait for life to bring them together. He was going to do it.

"I think so. I mean, I thought about going back to Kansas, its home, you know… but I think Central City is the place to be. I can do more here than I ever could back home in a small country town," Sophia said. "I'll probably end up going back at the end of the year for a few months, just to pack things up and spend some quality time with my parents. What about you?"

"Oh, I'm definitely staying. I've lived in Central City my whole life, I can't imagine calling any other place home." His grin had grown when she mentioned she would be staying, but he tried not to let it show too much.

"It's good to hear we won't have to say any goodbyes anytime soon. But in saying that I know that Patty wants to move to New York. She actually got offered an internship position that she's been debating for a while now about taking, but I think she's going to do it," Sophia said.

"Yeah, I heard. Good for her," Barry said. "I think it'll do her some good, especially after her Dad passed. He would have been proud."

"Mmm," Sophia hummed, finishing the rest of her drink.

"So," Barry said, taking a look around at all the couples in the room. It felt a bit weird.

"So…"

"Want to get out of here?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

"And so, that was the last time I ever let Cisco stash his science experiments in my fridge ever again," Barry said, finishing his story. But he wasn't even focused on it, instead, his gaze admiring Sophia as she was hunched over on the bench they were sitting on, her body shaking with laughter. He smiled as he watched her, his heart fluttering at the adorable sight before him.

"I can't believe, that you ate it," Sophia laughed once more. "I'm never going to forget this story," She said, letting out a breath as she wiped away a stray tear. Her cheeks were hurting from smiling so hard, but she couldn't help herself.

"In my defence, it looked like a regular egg," Barry said. "Plus, I think I might have been slightly hungover from the previous night. So it seemed like a good idea."

"Keep telling yourself that, Barry," Sophia giggled, leaning back against the bench, pulling his jacket tighter around her.

They had decided to go for a walk at a local park nearby, grabbing some delectable ice-cream from a parlour nearby and eating it as they moved around. But eventually the chill of the weather began to settle in and Sophia was kicking herself for not bringing a jacket with her. Barry had noticed that she was shivering slightly and pulled his jacket off, slipping it over her shoulders in an instant. She had looked up at him with shy eyes and whispered a thank you, slipping her arms through the sleeves, savouring the warmth that it provided.

"Barry?"

"Yeah?" He asked, turning his head to look at her, wondering why her face had turned serious so suddenly. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just- I need to tell you something, okay? I've been meaning to say it for a while, but I- is it okay if I just…"

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll be listening," He said, giving her a smile of support to ease her worries, but all it did was send the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy.

"Do you remember that time we were on spring break, staying at Eddie's beach house by Little Bay?" Sophia asked, when he nodded in response, she continued on with her story, trying to stop her heart from wildly thumping in her chest in both anticipation and fear of what would be the result of their conversation. "We stayed up all night, laying on the beach, our feet buried in the sand and it was then that I realised something." She paused, taking a deep breath, licking her lips nervously. "It was that night as we talked for hours that I realised I loved you. I realised that I didn't want anyone else, I just wanted you. When I look at you, you make me feel things I never thought possible. You drive me absolutely insane, but… I wouldn't have it any other way," Sophia confessed, licking her lips nervously as she finished.

Sophia's was sure if he didn't say something she would pass out from how fast her heart was racing. Her eyes carefully met his, and she was blown away by the fire that had been sparked. If she was being honest with herself, she knew the only reason she had confessed was so that he could reject her and she could move on. Because she knew deep down he could never love her, he could never feel the same way… at least that's what she thought.

"I can't believe you beat me to it," Barry breathed out, a grin gracing his lips.

"What?" She tilted her head, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"I think I've loved you since the day we met, but I never had the courage to say anything."

"Y-You love me?" She spluttered in surprise. Her nervousness after she had confessed had blocked out pretty much everything he had said after and she wasn't sure she caught his words correctly.

"Hopelessly. I am hopelessly in love with you, Sophia." He nodded, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek. "And I've been trying to find the right way to tell you as well."

"I uh-," She was honestly speechless. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure that this wasn't a dream. Her eyes never left his and she noticed that he had moved closer towards her, their noses almost brushing. She could feel the heat radiating off him, and his warm breath hitting her skin was igniting all sorts of feelings inside.

"Can I kiss you?" Barry asked, his words an almost whisper on her lips.

"Yes."

Barry leaned forward with an unknown speed, tilting his head to better capture her lips with his own. Electrifying was the word that Sophia would use to describe it. Years of unresolved feelings between the two that had built up leaving them desperate for connection were released, and boy, was she glad that things had took a turn for the better tonight. She let out an airy sigh when his lips were off hers, but only for a second as he moved closer, gripping her hips this time as he practically pulled her into his lap on the park bench they were currently making out on. Her lips were on his once more, the heat surging between the two, even more so when her tongue darted out to meet his, causing a breathy moan to escape Barry's lips. As much as Sophia wanted to continue devouring Barry there, enjoying the moment and the fact that they were finally kissing, that they were finally together, she realised that they were in fact in public still, and it was nearing midnight.

She reluctantly pulled away, leaning her forehead against his, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath.

"That was certainly something," She complimented, unable to keep the smile off her lips.

"That was amazing," Barry said, pecking her lips once more with a chaste kiss. "I should have asked to kiss you sooner. I imagined what it would be like for so long, but," He let out a sigh. "Nothing beats the real thing."

"How many times exactly?"

"Too many," Barry laughed. "At least ten times tonight, you look beautiful, in case I haven't said that already," Barry said, eyes twinkling with admiration as he gazed at her.

"Who knew Barry Allen was such a charmer?"

"I did."

"I didn't. It's a nice surprise."

"I'm so glad we had this conversation."

"Just the conversation?" She raised a brow.

"No way, the kissing was a great bonus as well. 9/10," He said, pursing his lips up.

"Only a 9?" She frowned, almost growling. It was funny to see her gears turning and Barry was sure that it was going to be a long night of teasing and kisses, something he was definitely prepared for.

"I mean, yeah, but practice makes perfect right?" He asked, giving her a wink.

"I guess that means we need to get some more practice in. We can't leave it at a 9… that would be… irresponsible."

"Exactly." She shook her head with laughter, standing up and taking Barry's hand as they headed back to his car.

"Your place or mine?" Sophia asked, looking down at their intertwined fingers. Now that she knew what she had been missing out on, she didn't want to waste another moment.

"Mine, I don't have a nosey roommate," Barry reminded her with a laugh.

"So Star Wars and making out?" She questioned, biting her lip, eyes lighting up with mirth.

"I love you."

"I think I love you more."

And so that was how the two ended their night, cuddling on Barry's couch in front of Empire Strikes Back, sharing occasional kisses, and promising to each other that they wouldn't waste another moment.

It was official. Sophia Lang and Barry Allen were now dating, and according to Iris West, soon to be Iris Thawne, she was the sole reason they had gotten together in the first place, and she wouldn't let any one of them forget it.

* * *

 **A/N -** This was just a little one-shot that I thought up using the prompt line which was the very first sentence of this story.

Hope you all enjoyed it. It was just pure fluff if were being honest here. I'm so busy with school work and I haven't had a chance to continue writing the sequel, so I thought I would finish this little buddy and get it posted for you guys to keep you all happy til I get new chapters up.

Enjoy, and please leave a review.

Thank you all so much for your love and support.

Heroherondale. x


	27. Confused Eyes

_AU_ : In which when Barry screws with the timeline again, and Sophia doesn't remember who he is, and why he's so damn interested in her.

Confused Eyes

Sophia blinked, brown eyes wide as a doe as she looked at the man before her. Her eyes were quick in darting to the exit door of the ward she was currently working on. _It's him again!_ She cursed internally. She could feel her heart rate pick up, and her stomach churn uncomfortably with anxiety and perhaps a little bit of anticipation… and she hated herself for it.

 _Yes_. Sophia Lang had a stalker.

Albeit a very good looking one, but a stalker indeed. This was the fourth time this month he had showed up to her workplace asking her the same damn question that was driving her mad to the ends of the Earth.

She moved to flee, thanking the higher power in her life that it was the end of her shift and she had just finished all the last bits of her paperwork for the night. But it was in that very moment of relief that he turned and made eye contact with her. His green eyes were searing into her own and she felt hot under his gaze. She didn't bother looking back, turning tail and running like the wind, but it seemed the universe had other plans.

"Sophia, wait up!" Barry Allen yelled down the hallway.

To clarify, the only reason she had a name to match the once unfamiliar face was because he seemed to show up everywhere in her life lately. At work, when she was getting morning coffees at Jitters, and once even when she was jogging in the park down near her apartment block. Well maybe not that time, as he had been conversing with someone over coffee, so she was sure that it just happened to be a coincidence, but the point was, he was always lurking. But his puppy dog eyes had been the one thing to prevent her from filing a restraining order at this point. She just hoped he would get the idea soon, and leave her alone.

She pushed her feet faster, running through another set of doors but he caught up, catching her wrist with his hand, forcing her to turn and look up at him. They were now standing in a deserted hallway, both panting, catching their breath from the little chase.

"What do you want from me?" She asked incredulously. Her cheeks were flushed and she was breathless from the run.

"Do you remember me? Please say you do," Barry asked. He knew that when he changed the timeline he had screwed with thing majorly, but it was that very morning that Iris who was his neighbour had come by and said she remembered them being friends in another life, living together as siblings. So with a heavy heart, he hoped that the one person he loved the most would remember him.

"No! I told you, how many times do I have to tell you," Sophia said exasperatedly. If she was being honest, she was lying to them both because it was just the other day that she had been dreaming of them being together in another life, fighting crime and being lovers. But she passed it off as her over active imagination coming up with crazy scenarios.

"I-I thought you of all people would have remembered," Barry exhaled, letting go of her wrist. She looked at him with confusion and it was then that something clicked in his mind. Cisco had once said that physical touch sometimes triggered hidden memories from alternative timelines, just how it had for him once when the Reverse-Flash had killed him.

So with a whisper of an apology he took a step forward, placing one hand on Sophia's waist, to bring her closer towards him before capturing her lips in a searing kiss.

At first she was shocked, and moved to push away, but the longer his lips lingered against hers she felt herself succumb under his touch. Their lips moved against each other with a familiar heat, memories and thoughts were uncovered rapidly. Images, fuzzy feelings of warmth and love flooded through her body causing her to gasp against his lips, pulling back to look into his green eyes, a new sense of familiarity blooming between them.

"Barry?" She whispered, her eyes roaming over his face, taking it all in.

"It's me," Barry said, a smile on his lips. "I'm so sorry, I messed with the timeline and caused all of this to happen, but my god, I'm so happy you finally remember me," He laughed softly, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I-I forgot, I didn't mean to, I always felt like there was something missing," Sophia rambled. "God, I missed you. I'm so sorry I forgot about you."

"Guess we have to make up for lost time?"

Her lips were on his before he could say anything more.

* * *

 **A / N –** I recently bought a journal, and this was one of the beauties that I whipped up in there. Thanks to inspiration from a lot of you reviewers. Thanks.

Hope you enjoyed this, and remember to always send in ideas or things you'd like to see next time. I'll do my best to incorporate some of the ideas into my next stories.

Til next time.

Heroherondale. x


	28. December Magic

December Magic

December first had arrived and along with it came the chilling cold.

It had yet to snow yet which was a blessing, but it meant that it was time to start dressing warmer. Which was never an issue for Sophia. She absolutely loved winter time. There was something so magical and special about the month leading up to Christmas.

Maybe it was because this time was special and focused on family and love, but whatever it was she adored it.

That morning she decided to dress up and wear her favourite baby blue knit jumper with some dark wash denim jeans, mostly because it paired up beautifully with her knee high brown boots.

But the blue looked good on her. Someone special to her heart had once told her that it brought out her eyes and as she looked in the mirror that morning before leaving the house she had to agree that they looked brighter.

Or maybe it was because she was finally getting a day off.

Sophia rolled out of her warm bed that morning with a whole trip planned to catch a train into the city and walk around, grab a coffee and just enjoy the free time by herself. Who knows, a surprise might present itself along the way.

So far the day was moving along quite well, she had enjoyed relaxing on the train with her favourite songs playing as loud as she wanted through her headphones, watching as the city flew by her til she reached her destination.

Sophia was enjoying a delectable coffee with lots of chocolate on top and cinnamon roll complimentary from Jitters as it was the first day of December. The staff too were enjoying the festive mood with bright Christmas lights hanging in their café, and the soothing soulful voice of Michael Bublé's traditional Christmas album play, setting the atmosphere.

The song reminded her of her family who she hadn't seen in a while, but it was in a nice way. She would have to go down to Kansas soon to see them all. She smiled along to the music as she took a sip of her warm drink, finding the heat of the coffee comforting and that's when _he_ walked into the shop, the door jingling as he waltzed in looking effortlessly beautiful.

She was sure her heart stopped beating in her chest at the mere sight of him.

She was sure she had never seen someone more beautiful than this man in her life. It was only when his hazel eyes glanced over at hers after ordering his drink that she looked away in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing red as he caught her staring.

She avoided looking at him, pretending to be far more interested in the novel in hand, trying her best to contain her smile from erupting when she heard the chair in front of her table move.

"Do you mind if I sit here ma'am?" He asked, his velvet voice as smooth as the coffee she was drinking.

She looked up and gave him a dazzling smile, nodding as he took a seat.

"Sorry, do I know you? You seem incredibly familiar." Sophia asked, looking up at the man in front of her, eyes twinkling with mirth. Her short glossy hair fell into place around her face as she tilted her head to the side to look at him curiously.

Said man smirked as he took a sip of the coffee from his foam cup. She could smell his cologne from where he was sitting and the mere scent of sea salt and sandalwood, his signature scent made her insides melt.

"I mean, I would hope that you wouldn't have forgotten me? Is two months really that long of a time?" He asked teasingly.

"I missed you," Sophia declared as she stared at Barry, biting her lip as he grinned at her.

"I missed you more sugar pie."

She wrinkled her nose at his lame nickname but in reality it made her heart go whoosh. It had been two months without seeing her boyfriend and she was surprised that he made it here in the end.

He had told her that they might bump into each other at some point that day once he was back from Star City but she didn't think he would come through with how busy he was.

He took her hand from across the table and held it in his own, his fingers playing around with hers.

"Your hands are cold," He commented, squeezing them tighter.

"They were waiting for you to warm them up."

Barry laughed at her comment and gave her a warm smile. He could feel his heart swell the longer he stared at her. They hadn't seen each other in person for nearly two months and he missed the way her pink lips curved up in laughter every time he made a corny joke, or even the little things like waking up next to her curled up in his arms snoring away the morning.

He pulled her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss on the back of it, enjoying the way she blushed a bright pink in response.

"I love you," He whispered against her skin.

"I love you more."

After enjoying their drinks at the café, they left arm in arm, Sophia leaning her head against his shoulder as they walked the streets until they came in front of an ice-rink just as the sun was setting. The rink had fairy lights all around, and for some reason there was a giant Christmas tree in the middle.

There was a big banner hanging at the front of the rink that said Winter Wonderland in a beautiful blue and white theme and of course, Christmas music playing aloud in the background to set the scene.

It wasn't packed, in fact the ice-rink was empty.

Barry walked up to a worker leaning by and spoke to him softly before ushering Sophia over.

"What's all this?" She asked, watching in confusion as the worker moved back to the booth after he placed a sign on the gates that said BOOKED.

"I thought you'd like to go ice-skating and since we haven't had much alone time together I decided to book out the rink."

"You booked out an entire skating rink in the middle of central park for me?"

"I'd book out the world's supply of skating rinks just for you."

Her heart was doing that funny thing again in her chest and butterflies were ransacking her senses. _God I love you_ , she thought to herself as he ran a hand through his luscious hair.

"You're so perfect, I love you."

A proud grin erupted on Barry's face and she pressed a chaste kiss against his cheek before grabbing his hand and dragging him over to pick up some skates. She had her skates on in a jiffy but Barry on the other hand was having a bit of trouble.

"Need some help there, Bar?" She asked, her tone teasing.

"No, I got it."

"Whatever you say, handsome. I'll meet you on the ice." She was off before he could tell her that he had tied the laces, now following her as she rushed onto the ice. If there was one thing that he knew Sophia loved it was ice-skating. It was a family tradition for her and he made sure to take her at least once a year around Christmas so she could enjoy it.

He moved onto the ice and began skating around, watching Sophia as she moved. He couldn't believe that he was so lucky to be in love with an angel like her. Cisco said it was fate that they met, destiny working it's magic and he just had to believe that he was god damn lucky to score a gal like her. She was loving, considerate, intelligent and beautiful, the perfect partner. He felt guilty for being gone for so long on CSI cases, but when he glanced over at her once more admiring the happiness that radiated off his girlfriend as she skated around, he was enamoured by her beauty and gracefulness and all thoughts of guilt escaped him.

In fact he was so caught up in staring at her and thinking about how much he loved her that he ended up tripping over his own two feet at the bend of the rink, tumbling to the ice with a surprised yelp.

Sophia came to a stop in front of him and as he looked up he could see her angelic face smiling down on him, her hair hanging and framing her face. _I'm gonna marry this girl one day. I know it,_ he thought to himself.

"You okay sweets? What happened?" She asked with concern as she pulled him off the ice.

He laughed as he dusted himself off and then took her hand. "I was too busy admiring you and I got distracted."

She rolled her eyes and shoved him with her shoulder before he dragged her off and they were skating together.

The lights, the music, the ice, it was all perfect.

They just needed something else. Something more. And that's when she felt it float onto her nose. _Snow_.

She looked up into the sky and watched as the white snow formed around them, floating in the air and falling down onto their skin.

"It's snowing," She gasped in surprise, such wonder layered in her voice.

"Merry Christmas."

"It's only the first of December, Bar."

"Hey, it felt like the right thing to say. It's a magical moment," Barry pointed out.

He pulled Sophia close to him, his arms wrapping around her back, hers coming up to hold his shoulders. She could feel his warm breath hitting her skin as he rubbed his nose against hers, his eyes darting down to her lips and back at her dreamy eyes.

"I'm gonna kiss you now," He whispered against her lips as he inched closer.

" _Thank god_ , I've been waiting all afternoon," Sophia declared.

Barry shook his head and laughed before leaning down to press his lips against hers in a searing kiss. His mouth was velvety smooth as it moved against hers leaving her feeling light headed and her heart racing. It was the best feeling in the world, and she knew there was no place she'd rather be than in Barry's arms.

December was truly magical.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

 **I'm slowly getting back into writing, this is just a bit of writing I wanted to post to get back into the groove before hitting the big stuff with the third series.**

 **This is just a bit of a Christmas AU type.**

 **I hope that you all enjoy this, please leave a review and let me know what more you would like to see.**

 **I miss writing but it's just taking me some time to get back into it so please be patient with me, and thank you for all the support you've all provided me with.**

 **Thanks, and til next time.**

 **Heroherondale.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own The Flash, rights and ownership belongs to the CW, Warner Bros. and respective owners/creators. I only own my OC and creative genius.**


	29. Only a Dream

Only a Dream

Sophia was enjoying her morning coffee that she picked up from Jitters when the alarms in Star Labs suddenly started blaring. She cringed at the loud sound that echoed in her ears and opened the draw to her right. Fumbling for the button at the back of the drawer she pressed her palm down firmly on the blue button which turned off the alarms.

She looked to the screen in front of her to a message popping up as well as multiple alerts from the meta-human app and other websites that they monitored regularly.

 _Incoming signal._

"The Watchtower is calling," The AI announced.

"Answer, Cisco."

"On it."

Cisco typed through the passwords and encryptions to answer the call and let it through with video feed.

They came face to face with Batman and The Flash sitting in their main base of operations on The Watchtower.

"I got an emergency notification, what's wrong?" Sophia asked, getting straight to the point.

"Doctor Destiny has escaped from Arkham. He's created chaos in Gotham and is now heading towards Central City. You need to detain him in the prison cells at Star Labs," The Flash said.

"Got it, can you give me an update on him so I can work out a game plan?"

"His name is John Dee but he goes by Doctor Destiny. He was a small time crook I put a way a few years ago. He has the ability to take telepathic control of people whilst they sleep, trapping them in their dreams," Batman explained. "I'm having Alfred forward you all my files on Doctor Destiny as we speak."

"Sounds like fun," Cisco said as he pulled up the files that had just come through. If there was one thing that Batman was, it was punctual. "Multiple accounts of assault, B&E, petty theft and more before his powers developed as well. He's always been a bad case."

"I need you to stay vigilant. With Doctor Destiny on the loose it means neither of you can sleep otherwise you'll be vulnerable. The only way to defeat him is to stay awake," Batman instructed.

"With the teleporters down we won't be able to get back to Earth for a few hours. Superman and Supergirl are working on repairs outside the space station as we speak but even then it could be longer than that."

Sophia could see the look of concern that Barry was sending her way through the camera but she wasn't just his wife, she was also Central City's protector. She was the Sapphire Knight and she was prepared to face even the scariest of foes to keep her city safe.

"We can handle this. Just like old times, right Cisco?"

"We got it covered. Keep us updated," Cisco asked and Batman gave him a curt nod before cutting the feed.

Just before the feed cut, she could see Barry look at her with worried eyes and a warm smile.

"Good ol' Batman."

"Yeah, he's always like that. Very to the point."

"Let's get to work. I want you to track Dr. D's movements from Gotham. I want to know where he was at all times, modes of travel and where he's headed. Maybe it'll give us an idea of where he might target next in Central City," Sophia ordered Cisco who nodded his fingers typing away at light speed.

"I could vibe him?" Cisco suggested as he chewed on some red liquorice that suddenly appeared out of thin air. "But I'll need something of his."

"Maybe there's some evidence locked up in storage at the CCPD. It does say here that he committed some crimes back in '08 in Central City. Misdemeanour and a few stolen goods. Will fingerprints work?"

Cisco hummed as he thought about it before giving her a nod. "I can work with fingerprints."

"I'll get them to you within the hour."

With the two allocated their tasks, Sophia took to the sky, flying down to the CCPD.

She landed on the ground a few blocks away and emerged into the street when she checked that no one was looking. She was wearing a fitted lavender button up shirt tucked into her favourite black straight legged jeans and a pair of heeled boots. She wanted to come off as professional to make it easy to sneak in and steal a word with Detective West. It was easier to blend in the crowd that way, rather than when she was dressed in her usual comfortable comic print tee, a mini skirt and converse.

The elevator doors opened with a ding and she was welcomed with the bustling chaos of the CCPD on a Monday morning. There were detectives rushing around, phones ringing off the hook, and as usual criminals sitting at desks being interviewed. Sophia almost laughed as she walked past one desk recognising a perp she had dropped off to the CCPD that morning for petty theft at Jitters.

"Detective West," Sophia called out as she walked up to his desk, catching his attention.

"Sophia," Joe smiled in surprise. "What brings you here?"

"I've got a peculiar request and I need my favourite father-in-law to help me out," Sophia said as she took a seat in front of his desk.

"Is this for work or for _work?"_ Joe scratched his now greying beard waiting for her response. He had a feeling he knew it was for superhero work by the way she walked in here looking like a woman on a mission.

"Yes, it's for _work_." She said looking to her right as someone walked passed. "I need fingerprint copies of one John Dee aka Doctor Destiny. It's believed he's heading to Central City and I need this DNA sample ASAP."

"I can get that for you," Joe said, filing away some papers in his drawer before standing up and ushering her to follow him to evidence.

"Where's Barry?"

"Still stuck in space, they're trying to fix a problem with teleporters, he probably won't be back til tomorrow at the earliest," Sophia said in a low voice as to not let anyone overhear as they walked into the evidence filing room. "Cisco and I are handling the problem. But it would have been nice if Caitlin and Iris were in town."

"Yeah, but at least they're both safe and sound in Metropolis. I saw the disaster that Gotham was and I won't let anything happen to Central City," Joe said as he riffled through some cabinets looking for prints.

Sophia leaned herself up against the wall of the room watching as Joe searched for the sample.

"Aha, here it is." He said pulling out the box and handing it over to Sophia. "It's got evidence in there that Cisco can use and all the files we have on him."

She nodded as she took a look to check everything she needed was there before closing the lid.

"We can take him down. It's not the first time I've worked solo and it won't be the last."

"I believe in you," Joe smiled still remembering the very first time Sophia had gone up a meta-human on her own. It was just after she had gotten her powers and they were wrong to underestimate her

"If anyone can do it, you can. I'll keep you posted on any chatter that comes across the comms. Be careful okay, you might be a superhero but you're also my son's wife and that means I get to play the over protective dad part."

"I'll be safe, I promise. We'll be in touch."

She gave Joe a quick hug goodbye before leaving the building and hoping that this was an easy catch, because she wasn't going to get any sleep until it was all over.

* * *

It was easier said than done to track Doctor Destiny down.

It seemed that no matter what program or system they ran to search for clues as to his whereabouts he remained hidden.

Sophia wondered if he was hiding out in one place and projecting his telepathic abilities from a hidden destination. If so he was more dangerous than she initial thought out.

But with the comms. on the Watchtower down there was no way of contacting Batman to find out this information. All the members of the team who had previously battled Doctor Destiny just happened to be on the Watchtower and out of reach, leaving herself and Cisco to think quickly on their feet as more and more victims were coming to pass.

Though after hours had passed on they did figure out one pattern that could give them a lead.

Doctor Destiny was going after police officers, lawyers and other law enforcers that had any connection to his previous prison time. Anyone who had a hand in putting him behind bars were being admitted to hospital for psychiatric care, screaming and thrashing in their comatose like state.

It was terrifying if she was being honest. She had seen some of the footage shared to her by an informant in CC Hospital and it was terrible to see what was happening.

"Do you think he's in one location?"

"No, it looks like he's on the move. I can't see where he is, but he's definitely not in the same place, they feel different," Cisco said after vibing him once more.

"He's going after people involved in his case. So cross of all the names of those who have been targeted and whoever's left is most likely to be next."

Cisco did just that a whole bunch of names on screen began disappearing which narrowed it down.

"Now cut out anyone who isn't in Central City. He's going to move on once they're all taken care off."

 _Detective Joe West._

" _Crap_. I should have realised."

"Where's Joe now?" Sophia asked Cisco who quickly pinged his phone.

"He's at home. It's nearly 10pm he must be asleep," Cisco panicked.

"Open up a breach. It'll get us there faster," Sophia said.

Cisco thrust his hand out into the air in the middle of the cortex, a blue like bubble of energy expanding allowing them to run through and arrive in the West household.

The house was silent, the only sound their feet landing lightly on the wooden floorboards downstairs. Sophia looked around cautiously not finding any evidence of breaking and entering from the front door or anything that looked out of place.

"You go up, I'll check downstairs," Cisco whispered as they walked through the dark house.

She gave him a nod before flying up the stairs as not to make a sound til she reached Joe's bedroom door. She noticed that the door was slightly ajar and her heart began beating faster in her chest.

Joe always slept with his door closed, he hated getting light in the room whilst he was fast asleep.

Doctor Destiny was here.

Sophia's blinked, her eyes opening to glow a cobalt blue allowing her to see better as she nudged the door open gently, moving into the room.

She could see tall form of the dark blue caped man standing next to the bed where Joe was no doubt sleeping peacefully.

"Step away from the bed, Doctor Destiny," Sophia ordered her voice sharp as a knife.

The villain turned around to face her and she was greeted with that of a skull with dark eyes watching her. The mere sight sent a shiver down her spine. He had morphed his face somehow with his telepathic abilities and the sunken skull only amplified his ability to create fear. She gulped and stood her ground keeping her palms by her side and facing towards him should she need to fire quickly.

" _Ah_ , the Sapphire Knight. What a pleasure it is. Have you come to save Detective West? I'm afraid it's too late, the man will soon too live out his nightmares forever. Just like you will." His voice was deep and eerie and it made her feel uncomfortable, reminding her of childhood nightmares that would haunt her.

She clenched her jaw and focused on him once more, snapping out of it. Even though she wasn't asleep he was somehow getting into her head. _I won't let that happen_.

"You just met yours."

Her eyes glanced to the right and she noted Joe's window which lead directly into the street. She shot forward and tackled the Doctor using her flight to push them both out of the window and onto the ground below. The glass shattered upon contact and they rolled on the hard concrete ground of the street in a tumble before separating.

Sophia pushed herself up off the ground and tapped on her comm. to contact Cisco. "I've got him out on the street but he's done something to Joe. Get him to Star Labs and put him in the stasis chamber before any more damage can be done to his mind."

"But what about you?" Cisco asked.

"I can handle Doctor Destiny."

She fired bolts of electrified energy away at the Doctor who dodged her hits with an ease that surprised her for someone who was a telepathic. But then as he focused his mind he broke off a metal lamppost and sent it swinging in her direction.

She was lucky that she had her flight and she used it to fling her body backwards and away from the post. The second time round not so much. It hit her in the abdomen sending her body flying through the air before she crashed to the ground unceremoniously. She groaned in pain and spat out blood that was in her mouth before getting up once more.

"Looks like Batman forgot to mention that you're a telekinetic now too."

Doctor Destiny laughed, cackling away into the night. "The latest gift from my stay at Arkham. You see, they too like to experiment, so it wasn't hard to see what new gifts they could offer."

"You're one sick son of a bitch you know that."

Her eyes fired out lasers made of cobalt energy that seared the lamppost in half leaving Doctor Destiny without a weapon.

"After I finish with you, I'm going to come for Batman and his team, especially that rotten little speedster The Flash. I'm going to enjoy torturing their minds until they beg for the sweet release of death."

His words angered her and with a power that he did not know she possessed she raised her hands up above her head and gathered as much energy as she could before bringing her hands down in front of her and aiming at him, a wild blast of energy shooting out of her fingertips and towards him with no escape.

The energy electrocuted him and sizzled as he screamed for mercy but her assault on the villain continued until he was unconscious. _Just what the Doctor ordered,_ she thought to herself as she caught her breath.

"That'll teach you to ever threaten my family again." Sophia said, picking him up in a ball of energy and flying him to Star Labs where she locked him up in the pipeline.

* * *

The Watchtower teleport had been fixed and Barry rushed back to Earth to check up not only on his city but on his wife.

Unable to communicate for nearly a day or two he was worried sick that things went sideways but when he got to Star Labs to see that everyone was fine and that Doctor Destiny had been apprehended it was the most relieving news he had been given in the last 24 hours.

Cisco had contacted Caitlin and Iris from Metropolis to get them working on a way to fix all the people that had been affected by Doctor Destiny. But the girls hadn't even arrived back yet and all was as it was before.

It turns out that all they needed was to throw Dr. D in a meta-human cell preventing his telepathic abilities from working which released his hold on all the people he had attacked. Joe had woken up without a memory of what happened with a clean bill of health and that's all they could have asked for.

When Barry had caught eye of Sophia in the cortex he ran up to her and crushed her in a hug, holding onto her tight.

"Bar, you're squishing me," Sophia complained into his chest.

"I was so worried about you," Barry expressed this not only in the worry in his voice but in the way he was holding her against his chest firmly.

"I'm fine, we're all safe now."

"I know, I'm glad," Barry admitted as he leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes gazing into hers. "I'd never forgive myself if something ever happened to you."

"You were only gone for two days, Bar," She pointed out with a dopey grin. It might have only been two days but she missed her husband more than she would like to admit.

He kissed her cheek and then her nose before settling for her lips. "I know, but I'm your husband. It's my job to worry about you."

"I was worried about you as well. I'm glad you're home," Sophia said leaning up for another heart-melting kiss. It was warm and fuzzy and it felt like home.

"God it's good to be home."

"Was Batman driving you crazy?"

"Actually I think I was the one driving him crazy. I couldn't stop pacing," Barry laughed.

Sophia raised her brow. "You mean speed-pacing."

"Yeah, I was worried okay, I love you and I know how dangerous Doctor Destiny is so I was panicking."

She smiled at her husband and leaned up to kiss him firmly once more, relishing in the warmth of his hands against the small of her back as she pressed her mouth against his breathlessly.

"I love you, Allen," She sighed against his lips.

"I love you more, Lang."

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

 **Someone call for some Justice League stuff? I worked in a little bit here, hope you liked it. I took inspiration from the Justice League Unlimited episode Only a Dream.**

 **This was really fun to write, I actually wrote it in like under an hour which surprised me. I guess I literally want to write anything and everything but the Third Season which I currently have writers block for. I might just scrap that chapter or skip over majority of it because I am so stuck on it!**

 **Hope you enjoyed this, please leave a review and thank you to everyone who reviewed on the last one it made my day honestly, so glad that you loved it!**

 **Til next time.**

 **Heroherondale.**

 **Disclaimer: I only own my OC and creative genius, the rest belongs to Warner Bros and the collective owners of JLU and associated materials.**


	30. Worth It

Worth It

Black heels clacked against the marble floor of the building as she moved swiftly, buttoning up the blazer of her suit as she rushed into work, late yet again.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket as she pushed the button to the elevator multiple times, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for it to open.

The elevator doors opened with a ding and she pushed her way through the crowd, pressing the button to level 6 multiple times before the doors closed. She pulled her phone out of her pocket to check her messages.

'Agent Lang, report for duty. You're late.'

West.

She rolled her eyes. It was only the second time she was late this week. She checked her red lipstick on the screen of her phone, making sure that her make-up was pristine. She had to admit it was quite well considering the rush she had this morning.

The elevator doors opened once more and she walked through the offices, giving smiles to people she recognised and pushing through til she reached the meeting room where she was meant to be conducting a briefing on her latest case.

Her hand grasped the metal handle, twisting it as she entered the room, taking a seat towards the front of the table as West introduced the briefing, and ignoring the stern glare that he was giving her. She was thanking her past self mentally for preparing the slide-show yesterday and stocking the meeting room with all the files and paperwork she needed for the presentation.

And sitting there across from her on the other side of the table was the very reason she was late, a smug look on his face as he watched her settle in her seat, flipping through the file in front of her. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that look of his jerk face. It was all his fault she was late in the first place. He was trying to be a gentleman and had taken the set of spare clothes she left in his bottom drawers to the dry cleaners to ensure that they were freshly pressed the next time she slept over, but in the business of their lives he had forgotten to pick it up meaning she had to rush home on the other side of the city to get ready for work, or show up in his shirt which was definitely not an option.

"Agent Lang, if you could begin the briefing," Director West asked before taking a seat of his own.

"Of course, Director." She gathered herself and picked up a pointer that she would need for her presentation.

She cleared her throat and then began, pressing a button that turned the lights off and the screen on, her presentation beginning.

"As you know, we have been investigating a drug cartel run by a group that call themselves The Rogues."

She flicked through various photos of the members, and a brief history of their backgrounds and criminal history.

"We have an insider feeding us information. A former member of the group, Leonard Snart claims that there's a big drop off going down between another rival groups in a few days. It will all happen at an abandoned airstrip just outside of Central City, local PD doesn't have jurisdiction, but we do. We could potentially have enough evidence to put them all away for good if we make this drop."

"Advance this to priority number one," Director West instructed. "We've been waiting for years to get a drop on The Rogues if we take down another gang at the same time it just sweetens the deal. What do you need Agent Lang?"

"I need to get some profiling and background information on their rival the League of Shadows. I want to know what we're getting into before the drop happens. I've already got Ramon working on all the logistics and we're monitoring the movement and activity of the rogues 24/7," She said.

"Good. Allen, you're working with Lang on getting information on the League. I want whatever Intel you can gather on their members and inner workings within the next 48 hours."

"Yes, Sir," Barry said, his eyes flickering from his boss to his girlfriends.

Once the room had cleared out, it was just Sophia and Barry left. It was clearly obvious that she was ignoring him as she packed up the presentation and gathered the files she needed to continue her investigation.

"You must be really upset with me if you're not even talking to me," Barry spoke, getting up from his seat and walking over to Sophia who was still shuffling through files on the table in front of her.

When she didn't respond he let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair out of nervousness.

"I didn't mean to make you late to work again," He apologised.

"That's what you said the first time," Sophia uttered under her breath.

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you," Barry said as he moved to stand behind her, placing his hands on her hips and pulling her into a warm embrace from behind. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, smiling against her warm skin before resting his head atop of hers.

"Listen, I'll do the rest of this paperwork, and get a plan prepared for our stake out. I've already got a coffee and some breakfast to go sitting in your office waiting for you. Go and relax a little and I'll sort this out."

She laughed softly and turned around in his arms. Her soft brown eyes flittered up to gaze into his to notice a sparkle twinkling in his eye. Even though he annoyed her to no end, she loved him more than anything in this world. He brought his hand to rest upon the side of her face, his thumb gently brushing against the soft apples of her cheeks. She had to admit that she loved it when he caressed her face, there was something so intimate about the simple gesture that she adored and it made her fall deeper for him every day.

"You're a real charmer, you know that," She mused with a sweet voice, her lips curling into a smile.

"I know," He grinned, leaning down to capture her lips in a swift kiss before ushering her out of the room and back to her office.

A smile remained on Sophia's face all day long, even throughout the terribly long and boring stake-out that ended up just giving them another lead and no busts. But as she went home that night with Barry she realised something. If there was one thing worth being late over, it was Barry Allen, because she knew in her heart, Barry was worth everything.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

 **I am terribly sorry if this ended in a weird way, but that's just how it did. I hope that it was enjoyable! It was just a little cutesy thing based on a tumblr prompt.**

 **I want to desperately post the new story soon but I might be starting work full time soon and I just don't have the time so we'll see what happens. I don't really want it to be a case where you get one chapter a month so we'll see how things go!**

 **Leave a review and let me know what you want to see more of! I'll try and get to it if I can. Thank you again for all your love and support!**

 **Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to you all! May 2018 be a brighter year of success, love, happiness and joy for you all. Wishing you a happy and safe holidays.**

 **Love, Heroherondale.**


	31. You Did It

You Did It!

Sophia flicked through her smartphone looking at images of her graduation that she had only attended a week ago. Her thumb scrolled through at least 100 photos from the graduation ceremony, the dinner and even the after party with friends.

Bright smiles, visions of laughter and beauty were littered across her photo album with pictures with some of the most important people in her life. Her favourite one had to be when she had just crossed the stage to collect her degree, and she saw Barry standing up in the crowd clapping away for her with the brightest smile on his face.

Then there were then a few photos they had taken straight after where he had held her close and kissed her firmly, making sure to tell her how proud he was of her achievements. After a stressful year of losing loved ones and struggling with her own health she had finally finished her degree. She was going to pursue the passion she had held for so long and make a difference in this world, just like her boyfriend was with his own work.

She had worked hard, and achieved something great after spending hours upon hours dedicated to studying, finishing assignments and working pro-bono shifts to gain experience.

After three long years she was going to be a Nurse.

But as she sat there she felt her spirits fall lower than ever.

Though she had been one to graduate early as she finished up her finals with flying colours, she had not been offered a job. All of her friends had been offered positions as soon as they had completed their course, but here she was a month later with rejection letter after rejection letter and all it did was make her fall deeper into a pit of anxiety.

Was she worth it? Was she not good enough?

All of these questions muddled her thoughts for the past month and today it felt like they were at an all-time high.

That was how Barry found her, sitting on the couch with a thick blanket wrapped around her, empty coffee mugs on the table and Netflix streaming Harry Potter for the fifth time that week.

She was getting into a bad zone again and he could tell as soon as he walked through the door after work.

When he greeted her with a warm kiss she shied away and he asked why and that's when she began with all the self-deprecating thoughts. He hugged her and told her not a word was true, and that patience was a virtue. Something would come to her in time, things happened for a reason. Maybe she didn't get the job she wanted at Central City Hospital because it wasn't the right fit for her and she should take it as a blessing.

Barry wasn't one big on believing in things like this but he knew that Sophia was and that she just had to be reminded of it. But he knew how hard it had been when all her friends had received jobs months ago and she was still sending out applications to this day with no reply.

After coaxing her out of her little spot on the couch with the promise of kisses he got her to take a nice warm shower. He then began to cook a fresh meal after discovering all Sophia had that day was a chocolate croissant and mugs and mugs of caffeine, probably attributing to her anxiety as well.

It was then she ran out of her bedroom with wet hair clinging to her back and her hand clutching a towel around her body as she ran in search for him.

"Barry!" She yelled, her voice was full of excitement and an uncontainable smile on her lips almost procured out of disbelief.

"What's wrong? Did the hot water turn off again?" Barry asked as he turned around from where he was cutting up some vegetables, placing the knife back down on the chopping board.

"I got the job!" She screamed with joy. "They just called me and I got the job! I did it!"

A massive grin broke out on his face when he realised what she was saying amongst all the screaming.

"You got the job!" He yelled before running up to her, not caring that she was still wet and her hair wild. He wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up in the air before settling her down. They laughed loud and hard and she squealed when he placed her down.

"I can't believe it," Sophia gasped. "I was in the shower and I heard the phone ringing and so I picked it up and the lady told me that they had a spot available and that I got the position!"

"I'm so happy for you. I knew you could do it!"

"Pinch me, I'm sure this is a dream," Sophia said breathlessly, a grin still playing on her lips.

Barry chuckled before leaning down to press his lips against hers. She hummed in delight as he kissed her finding this was a better reality check than the pinch she had previously suggested. She couldn't believe that after all this time things were finally falling into place.

"I'm so proud of you," He whispered when she pulled back.

The smile on her face grew bigger and she felt lighter than ever. All the anxiety and grief that was sitting on her shoulders was released and she felt like she had something to look forward to, something good, no more disappointment or rejection.

"Why don't you go finish your shower and I'll get some champagne out?" Barry suggested and Sophia just nodded in response unable to contain her happiness.

"I love you," Sophia whispered, pressing another kiss to his lips before parting ways.

As Sophia skipped back into the bathroom Barry watched her leave with a grin, laughing as he prepared dinner.

He was so god damn proud of his girl and he knew that great things were destined for her.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

 **Moral of the story, if you didn't get the job on the first go, don't fret, better things await you!**

 **This is actually based off my recent experience where I didn't get any offers and then boom, yesterday I received a call! I got the job!**

 **I believe in you all, so if you're feeling down, just keep praying and holding on! You can do it!**

 **Much love to you all, and thanks for the reviews!**

 **Happy Holidays.**

 **Love, Heroherondale.**


	32. Donut You Know I Love You?

Donut You Know I Love you?

It all started with a donut.

As weird as that sounds. But it was true.

 _Well_ , if Sophia was being honest with you, it all started with a terrible day at the office. Her stress levels had already been high that morning what with her lack of sleep and confidence in her ability to complete the new project she was heading in time for the deadline, but then it just had to go and get worse before it could get better.

Her boss had decided that Sophia wasn't working nearly as hard as she should be and forced her to attend multiple meetings that were pointless and if anything it just pushed her workload further back from the completion date, but there was nothing she could do. She knew she was walking on thin ice with Christopher and she kept her mouth zipped tight in the hopes that it wouldn't get worse. But it did. Some way or somehow it just kept getting worse.

This went on for weeks, and though she was sure that her friends didn't take notice, there was one person who did, and it was the last person Sophia would have expected, and that's how the donut fiasco of 2017 began.

She had been sitting in her apartment on the Saturday morning, punching her bean bag violently after receiving an email from head office claiming that yet another one of her team members was being sacked, meaning that there was more pressure on her with a larger workload. She remembered viciously shouting and cursing at her computer before jumping up to punch her bean bag, the only thing in her apartment that wouldn't break from the force of her fists.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, I hate my job!" She practically yelled before giving up and falling into a heap on top of her beanbag. She was ready to give up. She would walk in to the office on Monday morning and quit. Well maybe after negotiating to receive some money from all the annual leave she had built up over the years, but nonetheless she wanted to quit.

Just as she was contemplating this delightful scene play out in her mind, there was a knock at her door. She glanced over to the clock and noticed the time, frowning with uncertainty. Who could possibly be coming to visit her on a Saturday morning at 7am?

Begrudgingly she pushed herself up and off the now very squished blue bean bag and went to unlock the door, only to find that there was no one there. She looked around, confused before she spotted the paper bag that was sitting on the floor outside her door.

She wasn't sure what it was and for a second she thought it might be something dangerous, but then again she lived in the most sweet and quiet neighbourhood and most of the people in the building were senile, spare a few young families and mcHottie next door that she had never spoken a word to, well more than a brief _Hi_ before she nearly tripped over her own two feet when he had said Hello. She still didn't know his name, and thus referred to him as mcHottie, like always and her friends constantly teased her about it, but it was her little thing and she loved it.

She picked up the bag and opened it then and there, only to have the smell of a coffee flavoured donut hit her senses. It smelled incredible and just looking at it made her mouth water. Inside there was a little note. She picked it out and carefully unfolded it, her eyes darting over the words quickly.

 _Sounded like you needed this donut more than I did. Don't give up! – B.A_

"Well, whoever you are B.A you've made my day," Sophia called out in the hallway. She had been expecting a response but received silence instead and she shrugged before closing her door, and moving inside to make a fresh pot of coffee to have with her donut, and a new found sense of motivation to keep moving forward.

* * *

The next time it had happened it was a Monday morning about two months later. It was only a few days before that she had received news that her father who was living overseas at the time had just suffered a stroke. She had flown over to Malaysia where he had been living with her mom for the funeral and because of her work schedule she had to fly back pretty much as soon as the ceremony was over. She was riddled with feelings of guilt and shame for not going to visit him sooner. But as always she had prioritised her work, and for what it seemed? A pay check at the end of the month and a quaint apartment in Central City?

Thus Sophia had spent most of the weekend weeping, feeling sorry for her neighbours that had to listen to her cry at all hours of the night. Her friends had come over at some point with flowers and hot home cooked meals to help her out, but still her grief was overwhelming. She just needed a sign, something to tell her to keep going before she found herself frozen in the past.

She was even sure that mcHottie- who had introduced himself a few weeks prior as Barry- had spotted her climbing up the stairs to their apartment level with a bottle of wine in one hand and take out in the other… and it had been 3 in the morning. She groaned internally when she had thought back to it after entering her apartment but she didn't care. She popped open the bottle and poured herself a glass of red wine and downed it, and then she re-filled it. This went on repeat for the remainder of the night and by the time she had emptied the bottle, she had been crying softly in bed as she lay there curled up, wondering why the world had to be so cruel.

She fell asleep to the soft music that was coming from Barry's apartment, thankful for his taste in music.

Waking up the next morning had been so hard for her, but she pushed herself out of bed and forced herself to take a shower. The hot water had been good on her aching muscles, soothing her skin and her soul from the inside out. She used her favourite body scrubs, the scent of peppermint and coffee grounds waking her up instantly. Once she was dressed and changed she padded into her kitchen to make some coffee and have a quick breakfast before going into work.

That's when she heard a knock at the door.

It was the same knock that she had received the last time and she nearly dropped her mug in excitement to go and see who it was. But by the time she had run there and unlocked the door, her hands shaking as she put the key in, her hand jiggling the handle open, whoever the mystery person was, had been long gone, leaving a small box in their wake.

She bent down to pick it up, the white box heavy under her fingertips. With an excitement she couldn't contain she flipped the lid open to find an arrangement of donuts that looked exquisite. The decadent chocolate that dripped off them had hardened, and the caramel that wafted to her nose smelt delightful.

"Whoever you are, I love you and you're going to make me so fat," Sophia laughed for the first time in days and it warmed the heart of the soul who passed them along to her, a secret smile on his lips as he slipped back into his apartment unnoticed.

* * *

The next few months went on by and whenever she was down, and sometimes when she wasn't she seemed to receive a gift of donuts with little messages of encouragement. But lately they had started to become a bit flirtier and it made her heart race when she read them.

The one she had received this morning made her heart beat faster and she wanted nothing more than to find out who this person was. She had laughed at the use of the pun and she had thought it was endearing.

 _You're beautiful, donut ever think otherwise._

It was exciting and terrifying but she was so in over her head. She just wanted to know who this secret saviour of hers was, but until she had the money or perhaps even the nerve to install cameras outside her door, there was no way she was going to find out who it was any time soon.

Suddenly things in her life started to pick up again, the sun was shining just that little bit brighter, and she didn't feel so tired all the time. It was a nice change and she had to thank part of it to whoever was sending her these gifts.

But it seemed that this good trend could only last so long before it had to be brought down. It was nice while it lasted Sophia had mused as she stood in front of her locked apartment door without her keys, soaked from the thunderstorm that brewed on outside the building.

Her car had to go in for repairs after she had broken a tyre and thus she had taken the bus to and from work that day. The fifteen minute walk from the bus stop to her apartment hadn't seemed to so long at the time, but when she returned at seven pm, the rain was falling down in buckets and she had nothing more than her handbag to cover her face with as the wind blew the droplets of water into her face, her heels wobbling as she tried her best to be careful as she stepped on the pathway in a rush to shelter.

It was only when she arrived at her apartment, drenched and panting that she dug her hand into her bag to find her keys. On the first try her fingers hadn't found anything and so she had even gone to the lengths of emptying out her bag onto the floor to find her house keys when nothing appeared.

She had evidently forgotten her keys in the lock on the other side of her door when she had left that morning. She tossed all her stuff back into her bag along with her phone that had since long died of battery, banging her forehead against her front door.

"Ugh, I hate my life," She groaned.

"What could be so bad?" A voice asked, shocking her. She turned around, nearly tripping over her two feet to see who it was, a blush rising to her cheeks when she saw it was mcHottie Barry standing there with slightly wet hair, his bomber jacket clinging to his arms and his hands occupied with an umbrella and what looked like a bag of take-out.

"I-It's just been a bad day," Sophia said, gesturing to her wet form, brushing a bit of the hair that was stuck to the side of her face away. "I locked myself in and I'm pretty sure no locksmith will come today in this weather."

"Yeah, the storm is crazy. We're lucky actually, some parts of town have already lost power."

"That sounds bad."

"Hmm," He hummed. "Well, come on over, I can't leave you standing out here all night."

"What?" She asked, trying not to stumble over her words.

"You can stay at my place til the locksmith gets here tomorrow," Barry said, fishing his keys out of his pocket as he moved further down the hall to his front door.

"A-are you sure? I could just call one of my friends to pick me up-"

"Don't be silly. I've got enough take out to feed a family, plus you look like you need a shower and a hot meal."

"I think I already have the shower thing covered," Sophia joked causing Barry to chuckle and the deep sound of his laughter made her stomach flip and shivers run down her spine. She was so in over her head when it came to him. He held the door open for her and she followed him reluctantly into his house, sighing from the warmth that it emanated.

"Your place smells amazing, like cinnamon buns," Sophia said as she placed her handbag down by his front door.

Barry gave her a heart-warming smile and she had to look away otherwise she was sure she would get lost in the warmth of his eyes. "I like to bake, it gives the place a nice smell."

She hummed and didn't reply, taking a look around his place after she had kicked off her heels at the front door. She was going to comment about how good his physique was for someone who baked, noting that most of her friends who enjoyed the culinary arts usually had what appeared to be of similar resemblance to a beer belly, but he looked as fit as day. Not that she would tell him that to his face.

"Follow me."

And so she did, walking into his bedroom as he pulled out a thick woollen jumper that would almost be a dress on her and a pair of sweatpants. He then grabbed a fresh towel from a linen closet and placed it all in her hands, directing her to the bathroom.

"Here you go. Take a shower and once you're done we can eat," He said, running a hand through his hair, causing her to bite her lip.

"Thank you, you really didn't have to," Sophia said.

"Seriously, Sophia, it's fine. It's what I'd do for any friend."

He left her alone, shutting the bathroom door closed and she had a smile on her lips. He had called her his friend and that warmed her heart beyond measure. She sighed, making sure the door was closed properly before stripping down and turning on the shower. The hot water came rushing out of the showerhead and her cold feet burned at first, but soon her body warmed up and she never felt better. She was quick in washing her hair and body, jumping out of the shower and drying herself off, her stomach rumbling with hunger.

Once she had changed into the warm clothes that smelled like Barry, she switched the light off in the bathroom and tip toed back into his living room where he had set up the take-out on the table, a plate and glass on the side for her, and the television on, an old re-run of Brooklyn Nine-Nine playing on the channel.

"Feel better?" Barry asked and she noted that he had changed into something slightly warmer and comfortable than before. She gave him a nod and sat down next to him on the couch as she dished out what she wanted.

"Yeah, I have some feeing back in my fingers," She joked. "Thanks again."

"You're welcome."

"So why don't you tell me about your day?"

"Really? It sort of sucked, it's not the greatest conversation," Sophia said, pouting her lip. "I'd rather just watch TV and eat this great take-out."

"Yeah, but we're friends and friends listen to each other complain and moan about how crappy their day was and then friends get their friends drunk," Barry said.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Sophia asked as Barry passed her a beer.

"No, but the point I was trying to make was that if you want to vent about something, I'm all ears," Barry said with a smile that made all her worries and fears disappear.

"I'll keep that in mind, but for now, why don't you pass me that pad se ew, they look good."

With a grin, Barry leaned over to pick up the container and pass it to her, adding a bit of extra chilli on the top, insisting that it made it better. It was his favourite too.

"This better be good," Sophia said as she carefully picked some up with her chopsticks, doing her best to balance the noodles.

"Oh, trust me, you'll love it."

After spending the night laughing away with their bellies full of food, Sophia had fallen asleep on the couch, her head resting against Barry's shoulder, a blanket draped over their bodies, the two tired friends snoring away whilst the thunderstorm raged on outside.

* * *

Barry had woken up first, surprised to see Sophia's face so close to his. He had wanted to stay there and savour the moment but he knew that he really shouldn't tempt himself. He brushed some hair of hers away from her face, admiring the soft look as she slept before detaching himself and going to have a shower. He wanted to make a nice breakfast for her that morning and he had the perfect idea of what to start off with. But what he hadn't anticipated was that she would wake up so quickly.

Sophia's brown eyes blinked open, and she rubbed them as she yawned, trying to get all the sleep out before she sat up. She was disorientated for a moment but then soon remembered what had happened the night before, getting locked out of her apartment and then coming over to Barry's. She glanced at the time on her phone that had been sitting on charge beside the couch to see that it was nearing 7am. She had only slept for maybe six or seven hours, but it had been some of the most relaxing and rejuvenating sleep that she had gotten in weeks, and it had been on a couch.

With a smile she sat up, and was about to call the locksmith when a smell hit her nose. It was that same chocolate and salted caramel smell that she had inhaled the first time she had taken a bite of the donut that had been delivered to her door. With a frown she got up off the couch, leaving the blanket behind as she pulled up the sleeves of the jumper, moving through the corridor and into the other room where Barry's kitchen and dining area was only to get the shock of her life.

Standing there, icing what looked to be donuts, yes, not just any donuts, _the donuts_ was Barry Allen. He had a bit of flour smudged on the side of his tee where his biceps where practically popping, but in his hands he held a piping bag where he carefully iced the donuts, sprinkling some chocolate on top.

When she let out a squeak of surprise at this new found revelation, he looked up, finally noticing her enter the room.

"Good morning," Barry said, a smile appearing on his lips.

"You!" She pointed her finger at him accusingly. "It's been you this entire time!"

"Yeah," Barry replied sheepishly. "You looked like you could use a pick-me up."

She groaned audibly and buried her face in her hands. "Of course it had to be you, why oh why does the universe hate me?" She mumbled into her hands, so that he couldn't catch her words.

He laughed at her embarrassment and put down the pipping back, wiping his hands on the half apron that he wore, getting off all the chocolate that had been on them before walking over to her, removing her hands from her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked with sincerity. "I thought you would be happy to find out who it was?"

"I mean, I was, I am, I just- I don't know what to say."

"I told you before, I love to bake. I do it all the time, and to see it brighten your day was more than enough payment for me," Barry told her, still holding her hands in his own.

"You honestly don't know how much those donuts mean to me," Sophia began. "I mean, they taste amazing and all, but just the words of encouragement and hope and not to give up… it meant a lot to me."

"I'm glad."

"You're very sneaky you know," Sophia said, punching his arm playfully. "I nearly caught you that one time, do you remember?"

Yes, he remembered, and a grin sparked on his face at the memory. "Nearly being the key word there. I'm glad you did finally figure it out, it's been months of agony just flirting through donuts and a piece of paper. It's nice to have a face to face."

His words made a blush bloom on her cheeks and she laughed, biting down on her lip to prevent herself from smiling too hard.

"I think I love you," Sophia breathed out, not even realising what she had said until it was too late, and it was evident with the way he laughed, throwing his head back when those words fell off her pink lips.

"It's a good thing I think I love you too," Barry confessed, moving closer to her, their noses brushing against each other. When she inclined her head towards his as though to give him the okay, he swooped down for a kiss that made her heart melt like the chocolate that was on those donuts.

In the end, the greatest love of her life had all started with donuts.

And she was never more thankful.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

 **I know this is super random, but I love donuts and now I want to eat donuts and basically I hope you all enjoy this story and then crave donuts like me!**

 **I'm working on the third story for the fight or flight series and though it's going to be a long and gruelling process, it's getting there so thank you all for being so patient and lovely.**

 **I hope you all had a great New Year and that it's off to a good start.**

 **Til next time.**

 **Heroherondale.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters/themes used from the hit TV series The Flash, all rights belong to the CW, Warner Bro's and their respectful owners. I only own my OC and creative genius.**


	33. Steal My Heart

Steal My Heart

28 hours had passed and they still had no leads.

With tired eyes and exhaustion clouding around him, Barry Allen sat hunched over the super-computer in the Watch-Tower, his eyes scouring their security systems, tracking and more to try and find a lead. The white noise of the wearing computers wasn't calming like it usually was when he took his regular patrol and shifts, instead it was haunting.

But it did not yield.

His heart ached in his chest and he allowed himself to close his eyes, even just for a moment. They fluttered closed, the constant stinging now fading as they had a chance to rest.

He remembered it clearly, the images flashing across his closed eyelids.

It all happened so suddenly.

The team was focused on fighting their alternate selves that were from an evil earth ruled through tyranny known as the Crime Syndicate. They were on the edge of the fight, victory nearing closer and closer. But just as they were about to claim victory over their doppelgangers, the unthinkable happened. A portal opened up and the members of the Crime Syndicate escaped through, taking precious cargo with them.

Dragging along with them was Sophia in the arms of The Flash, eyes glowing red, lips grinning as they disappeared, a pulsating light blinding the team as the portal closed, leaving them nowhere to be seen.

Barry had panicked, knees collapsing to the ground as he looked over at the spot where Sophia had been taken from him.

Clark had done his best to comfort and reassure Barry, insisting they would get her back, but the silence that came from the rest of the team was heavy, and enough for him to realise that the chances of getting her back were slim to none.

They had only fought the Crime Syndicate twice before, and it had been at random, years apart. But Barry was determined to save his fiancé.

An alert came through the system.

 _Off-world arrival. Vibe, code 193._

Cisco stepped off the transporter adorned in casual clothes rather than his usual Vibe garb.

"Barry," Cisco called out to his friend who was the lone ranger in the room, the monitors around him all switched on. He walked over, concern flittering across his face as he looked over at the state that Barry was in.

Said man dragged a hand down his face in desperation, rubbing at his eyes to make sure that he wasn't dreaming this up. "Cisco, _thank god_. I've been waiting for hours."

"I know, I'm sorry, we had a crisis and I was on another Earth. I just got back ten minutes ago and as soon as I heard I made it to a transporter," Cisco rambled.

"They took her," Barry said in a low voice, his words cracking as he spoke.

"I know, buddy. But we're gonna get her back, like we always do," Cisco said. "We might be the Justice League now, but we're always going to be Team Flash and Sapphire." Cisco's words gave Barry hope.

"Caitlin is running stuff from Star Labs. I'll see if I can vibe her location."

Barry took his engagement ring off his finger, rolling the fine piece of silver in his hand before handing it over to Cisco. "Will this work?"

"Yeah, this will do."

Cisco held the ring in his hand and closed his eyes, focusing on the energy and memory that Sophia left imprinted on the ring when she gave it to Barry.

Violent images flashed in his mind as Cisco found himself travelling to Earth 3, but it felt different, like a more altered version of reality than he had previously seen before during his visits to Earth 3.

The hallways of the Watch-Tower were dark with an almost ruby red light shining from the ceiling above through the darkness. He continued to follow this hallway til he reached a door. He turned the handle with his mind and walked inside to see Sophia laying on the floor, her hands bound in chains and a nasty wound on her head.

What surprised him the most was to see Barry's evil counterpart or doppelganger standing in the corner of the room, gazing at her from a distance. But there was something there, some underlying emotion set in his eyes that made Cisco wary of him.

It was then that he felt The Flash's gaze move over to him, and with a blink his eyes turned blood red, shocking Cisco out of his Vibe.

"Where is she? Is she safe? Is she alive?" Barry asked in a rushed tone.

"She's alive," Cisco said, handing the ring back to him. "Held captive on what looks like their Watch-Tower. I saw your doppelganger watching over her. She's unconscious."

Barry sunk back down into the chair and roughly ran a hand through his hair. After letting out a sigh he stood up and put the hood of his suit on.

"Do you know where she is?"

"Earth 3… but it's not just Earth 3, it's an alternate reality of our version of Earth 3."

Barry bit the inside of his cheek, trying to calm his anxiety. "Can you get us there?"

"I might be able to, but it's going to take a lot of energy. I won't be able to provide you with back-up on the other end if we want to get back."

"I'll call in some help."

Barry turned to the computer and sent out a message to the Leaguers.

He was going to bring Sophia home.

* * *

Waking up in the dusty cell, all Sophia could taste was something metallic in her mouth. She pushed herself up with her arms, biceps burning all the while so and turned to her left, spitting blood out of her mouth and onto the floor. She let out a cough and then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, blinking her eyes as she tried to adjust them to the light in the room.

It was dark, oh so very dark and that didn't sit well with her.

Red gleaming eyes walked out of the shadows til she was sitting on the floor with The Flash in standing in front of her. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest at the sight.

"Finally, you're wake."

"Sorry to inconvenience you," She spat bitterly, wincing when she moved her head too much.

"You mistake my words for annoyance, when in reality, I am pleased you are alright."

"Why would that be so? I'm your enemy."

"Maybe once upon a time. But I don't think we have to be enemies anymore, now, do we?" He asked, his voice honeyed and sweet. It made her feel uneasy not because he was just their enemy, but because he sounded so much like her fiancé and it was making her heart ache.

She blinked her eyes in confusion. Her head was pounding and she assumed she had taken a blow to the head earlier because it was hard to think straight, that and coupled with her enemies' weird behaviour, it was making her more confused than ever.

"What are you trying to say?"

"That we don't have to fight. We can be friends, maybe something more."

"I- You aren't making sense."

Her breathing became harsher and the weight on her eyelids heavier as she leaned back into the wall. Her vision was becoming blurry and she wasn't sure what was happening.

"Are you alright?" He moved closer to her, his eyes returning to their usual colour as he kneeled down next to her, cradling her head in his hands.

She didn't have the energy to push him away.

"My head," She complained. "I think I have a concussion." Her eyes were blinking rapidly as she tried to clear her vision but it wasn't helping too much. When she did catch a glimpse of The Flash who was trying to help her, she noted his hood was off and there was a look of concern on his face.

"You're going to be alright, Soph. I'll take care of you, I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

With that her eyes rolled back and she collapsed in his arms.

The Flash then picked her up in his arms and ran them to the med-bay in the Watch-Tower, glad that his fellow Team Members had all decided to return to Earth to celebrate their victory rather than loiter around their space station.

He placed her in a stasis pod that scanned over her body and began to administer medical treatment. She would only need to be in there for a few hours til she would be fully healed and rested, and then he would begin his plan.

The Flash looked down at the doppelganger of his former lover, the harsh memories of his dead former lover attacking his mind. He shook his head and let out a deep breath to rid those thoughts from his mind. It was just another version of the woman he loved. It was the same person deep down inside, he knew it. All he had to do was bring that to the surface. He was determined to keep her. She was his and he would make certain she was safe. He vowed now as he stood there watching her that he would not let anyone touch her, not even Ultraman, the fierce leader of their clan.

He had lost Sophia Lang once before and he would not lose her again.

* * *

With Kara, Clark and Bruce all attending to a crisis on Earth with escapees from Arkham Asylum yet again, it left Barry with only Cisco and Hal to head to Earth-3 on their rescue mission.

Diana would have to stay on the Watch-Tower as per protocol. They couldn't take everyone with them just in case back-up was needed.

The three suited up and prepared a plan of attack. Cisco said that Sophia was being held in one of the cells, so once they were on board, landing in a supply closet, Barry would speed through to find her whilst Cisco and Hal kept look out in case anyone came stumbling onto them in which definite fights would break out.

"Ready to go?"

Hal looked over at Barry with a nod and then to Cisco. "When you are, Vibe."

Hal had a determined look on his face as he watched Cisco open up a breach, the bright blue energy floating in the air to open up a gateway to this other Earth. Hal hadn't been there for that mission as he was off world at the Lantern Core for political business, but upon his return he had sought out Barry himself to offer his help to get Sophia back.

Barry, Cisco, Sophia and Hal had known each other before they joined the Justice League and were thick as thieves. They would always have one another's back and when Hal had heard that his best-friend had been kidnapped by their psychotic doppelganger's he could feel the anger burn inside of him.

Their movements were swift and calculated as they stepped through the portal to discover what they would do next.

Feet touching down on the ground on the other side, an eerie feeling settled over their bones. Barry turned on the spot, looking at where they were. They were near the engine room which was four floors below the containment cells.

The place looked just like Cisco described it. Instead of the usual bright silver metal walls they surrounded themselves with, it was stark black in comparison.

"Scanning for life forms on the Watch-Tower now," GL said, pointing his closed fist out into the distance, a triangle of green light sprouting from his ring as it scanned the station. "Detecting 3 life signs on board."

"Let's hope one of them is Sapphire," Vibe said, wincing at his own comment when he noticed how tense Barry had gotten since Hal mentioned there were only 3 on board.

"This level is clear. Go find our girl," Hal commented, earning Barry's attention.

With a nod, lightning flashed in his eyes as he bolted out of there and to the containment cells, leaving Cisco and Hal behind to keep an eye out and provide back-up.

Barry arrived at the room he was looking for. There was a keypad and locked doors that stood before him and the cells. He phased his body through the door, molecules moving at a faster rate than that which made up the door that stood in his way. Returning back to his normal state, he found himself on the other side of the doors. He walked through carefully, doing his best to stick to the shadows and avoid the light or cameras. He walked passed a multitude of cells but not one belonged to Sophia. He saw the face of what seemed to be the Crime Syndicate's enemies, but he did not come across what he was looking for.

"She's not here."

Barry ran to go back to the supply closet but moved passed Cisco who was on another floor, his hands typing away at a computer he began to hack.

"What are you doing?" Barry asked as he stopped behind Hal and Cisco.

"Trying to hack into their camera feed."

"Sophia wasn't there.

"Can you do a station wide scan?" Hal asked. "Narrow it down?"

"Yeah."

A minute later a beep emitted from the computer. "She's not on board."

"What do you mean? You vibed her here?"

"I know I did. She could have been moved in that time," Cisco explained to an obvious frustrated Barry. "Here, the CCTV footage should help clear it up."

The scene played out, no audio available. The Flash was watching Sophia as she woke up in her cell and then an obvious argument began to play out. Sophia then began to visibly deteriorate as she collapsed against the wall, to which The Flash then went to hold her and see what was wrong before she passed out in his arms. In the blink of an eye the both of them were gone and that was it.

"The Flash took her."

"If she's not on the Watch-Tower the most logical explanation is he took her to Earth. He hasn't killed her." The two looked to Hal for an explanation. "It's obvious in the way he was treating her so gently. He doesn't want to do her harm. He's taken her for another reason, but it's not to kill her. We need to get off this space station and down to Earth-3 if we want to find her."

"Agreed."

"Going somewhere, boys?"

The three froze and turned around slowly from the computer they were receiving stolen secrets from to see Wonder Woman and Supergirl standing behind them with a fierceness in their eyes coupled with evil that they weren't used to.

"Yeah, the hell away from here," Cisco cursed out loud.

Hal threw out a flash of green light from his ring causing the Amazonian and Kryptonian to be blinded momentarily as Cisco created a breach, his arms reaching out to grab the leather arms of his two friends, pulling them in with him as they arrived safely down on Earth-3.

Their three bodies crashed to the ground and Cisco groaned as he blinked his eyes open, adjusting them to the light surrounding them. The breach closed with a zip and Cisco looked around to see where they had arrived.

"Central City," Hal commented, his nose scrunching in distaste when he smelt the air as they walked out of the sticky alleyway they had landed in.

It was darker than they were used to. The streets themselves were darker, dirtier and held something evil in the air. Barry wondered how anyone lived here. It was like all the happiness was sucked out of the air and all that was left was misery and loss.

Cisco cringed as he looked out to the streets. As much as this was Central City, this wasn't home. This was a wasteland. "Instinct. But it's the first place we should look."

"Star Labs?" Barry suggested.

"Let's go."

* * *

The next time Sophia woke up she found herself lying on a soft mattress. It was warm and cosy, she could feel a blanket draped around her body, keeping the cold air out, and she wasn't wearing her suit, but a soft pair of sweatpants and an over-sized tee.

She pushed herself up off the bed, feeling much better than before and took this opportunity to look around. She was in someone's bedroom. It looked like her old apartment and it was kind of eerie. The decorations were different as was the colour scheme, but it was definitely the first apartment she had rented when she moved to Central City as a young adult.

She dropped her feet to the ground, coming into contact with wooden floorboards, slowly padding her way to the bedroom door. She wasn't sure what was going on. It all felt like a dream.

She turned the handle of the door open and stepped into the living room to see a figure standing in the kitchen, pouring out two mugs of tea.

"I wondered when you would wake up. You've been asleep for nearly two days."

"Barry?"

"Of course. Who else?" He turned around and she saw the man she loved so dearly. But when she looked into his eyes she could tell that he wasn't the Barry that she loved. He wasn't _her_ Barry. If this was the case, why was he acting like this? She decided to play along, figuring it was the safest course of action.

"Did something happen in the last few days? My head still hurts, I can't seem to remember a thing," Sophia said as she moved to take a seat by the kitchen bench.

"Yeah we were on a mission, you had a nasty fall and got a concussion."

"That clears things up a little."

He passed her the mug of tea. "Here, I made some of that Japanese green tea, just how you like it."

"Thanks."

Hesitantly she took a sip of the drink, sighing as she realised it was just that. Nothing else. He hadn't spiked it to drug her. It was just tea.

"How are you feeling?"

He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his face into her neck. She did her best to relax her muscles in her shoulders to try and not seem so tense. It seemed he noticed because he pressed a kiss to her neck as if to tell her to relax and she closed her eyes, forcing herself to.

"Not bad, just hungry."

"Why don't you go and have a shower. I'll order some take-out."

"Okay."

She stood up, leaving half of the cup of tea on the bench and moved towards the bathroom. But as not to seem suspicious she pressed a kiss to his cheek and muttered a thank you.

Her body still felt weak and she feared that if she were to try to escape through the bedroom window that was ajar, letting in a cool breeze that she would be caught which would leave her in the most uncomfortable of positions.

It was most likely that she was on another Earth, or in another parallel universe. It was the only thing that made sense for there to be another version of Barry here, one she could recognise as a foe. Not to mention the fact that the apartment wasn't just the same as it used to be.

When she found herself in the safety of the bedroom her eyes darted around til they landed on her suit that was sitting inside on a shelf in the walk-in closet. She opened the little compartment around her belt and picked up the tracker that she kept inside for emergencies like this. Her nail flicked the cap off and she pressed the small button inside with her finger before closing it. The tracking device was now turned on she slipped it back inside her suit hoping she wouldn't be leaving the apartment any time soon. They would find her. She was sure of it.

She then grabbed a fresh towel and a change of clothes, ready to scrub her body clean and formulate a plan, taking the time in privacy and solace to think clearly about her next move. She hoped desperately that she wasn't alone on this one. Because if she was, she wasn't so sure she would make it out alive.

* * *

A few hours later Barry had scoured nearly the entirety of Central City and found no lead, no link to where Sophia may be. It was only when Cisco attempted to vibe once more that he was able to get through the foggy images and discover their location.

"They're at Star Labs," Cisco told them, "Which is weird considering we searched through the whole place and couldn't find them."

"I doubt it was bad timing?" Hal suggested. "Sounds like we could be walking into a trap."

Barry shook his head, staying headstrong. "I don't care. We're still going."

"No, duh." Cisco placed his hand out in front of him, a breach forming as they stepped forward to walk through it.

Arriving in a hallway in the middle of the lab they decided to split up.

"If you see anyone other than Sophia, take them out. We need to get out of here as quietly as possible," Barry ordered.

"No arguing from me," Hal said. "I do not want to get on the wrong side of Kara's doppelganger, she scares me."

With one last look, the three split up and Barry took the hallways leading down to the cortex and the med-bay, zipping in and out with his speed. The labs were pretty empty, a stationed guard here or there but it was mostly quiet.

Barry wondered if they even used the labs. The way it was so dark and dusty it was a wonder it was even a functioning facility. But he figured that seemed to be a reoccurring theme on this Earth.

He was running past the rooms so fast that he nearly missed her.

His heart soared when they landed on Sophia sitting upright in one of the beds in the corner of the med-bay.

He skidded to a stop beside her bed, his hands reaching up to cup her face as she stared on straight ahead at the white walls.

"Soph," Barry called her name. "Soph, I found you."

He didn't receive a reply from her, and when he looked into her eyes he noted how empty they seemed.

He looked to see that there was some IV drip she was hooked up to. A bag of dark green liquid was flowing into her veins and a terrible feeling settled deep in the pit of his stomach. He was quick to remove it, pulling out the cannula from her wrist and pressing his hand down on the site to prevent blood from spilling out.

His eyes ran over the rest of her and besides a cut that was healing by her forehead, she seemed to be in one piece. His next thought was getting her out of here and to safety which was interrupted by a voice.

"You're smarter than I gave you credit for."

He tilted his head to the side and turned around, still keeping his arms on Sophia, ready to make a run for it as soon as he needed to.

He knew that voice anywhere.

It was his own.

"Barry." It felt weird saying his own name, but it brought his nemesis into the light.

With a flash of red eyes and the nod of his head, the other Flash stepped into the light, a bright blue bruise shining off the lower part of his jaw.

"Sophia left you with a gift I see."

A grimace settled onto his doppelgangers face as he recalled the events of the previous day. Sophia had put up quite the fight with him which had disappointed him to no end. There was no way of getting her on his side, not now. He admired her strength but ultimately she was just another failure now. He had lost his heart once again, and as usual he would resort to what he knew best. Fight or Flight. It was something she had taught him, and he knew he would chose the fight every single time.

"I think you see that I left her with a better one. It's a pity you stopped our party so soon, I was about to even out the playing field a little."

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing that will have lasting effects now that you've stopped the drug." He stepped forward once more which caused Barry to stand stronger and a little bit straighter in front of his fiancé. "I was going to make her my queen, but it seems that life has other plans."

"I guess that means we'll take our leave."

The unspoken, not without a fight, hung in the air.

The emotion between their gazes was electric. Barry had no intention of killing his doppelganger, but he was sure that those thoughts weren't running through the other Barry's mind.

"I guess so," He replied slowly.

Barry reached up and tapped his ear, informing Cisco and Hal that Sophia was with him in the med-bay.

Hoods went up, suits secured and the two speedsters fought it out. It was a vicious battle, spectacularly violent colours of red and yellow flashed throughout the night, the streets alit with lightning and light from their speed fight over the city.

Punches, kicks, elbows jutting out. It was a mess as they sped around doing their best to outdo the other, which was difficult since they had very similar fighting styles. Seeing as their fight was going nowhere, Barry lured his doppelganger back to Star Labs where Hal was waiting for them.

Hal threw out a giant green fist formed by his Green Lantern ring, the cosmic energy stunning Barry's doppelganger long enough for the three of them to jump through the breach with Sophia in their arms, successfully escaping the grasp of the Crime Syndicate once more.

Slowly Sophia began to become responsive, she blinked her eyes to clear her vision as she felt herself being lifted up in someone's arms and transferred to a soft bed. It was so comfortable that all she wanted to do was melt into the plush mattress but when she felt Barry's hands brush her hair away from her face she knew that she had to open them. She needed to know, she needed to see if it really was him and not the other _him_.

"Barr, is that you?"

"It's me. The real me," He whispered softly, his hands continuing to caress her face.

When she looked into his eyes it confirmed it all. A smile made its way onto her face as she leaned into his touch. Barry quickly brought her up to speed, letting her know that he had travelled to the other Earth to rescue her with Cisco and Hal. The names of her friends made her smile as well before a concerned look settled into her features.

"I was so worried it was going to be him again."

He shook his head vehemently before leaning his forehead against hers.

"Never again. I promise you, never again."

She let out a sigh.

"We have to stop this."

"What? Perpetually getting kidnapped by evil doppelgangers and taken to different Earths?" Barry suggested causing a hearty laugh to bubble up from both of them.

She smiled at him and leaned forward to peck him on the lips.

"Yeah, that."

Barry just smiled over at her and pressed his lips to hers once more, thankful more than ever to have her back safe and in his arms.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

Sorry if that ended in a kind of abrupt way?

Slowly working on the new story. Probably going to post the first chapter sometime in March!

Thank you for staying with me and supporting me along this journey. I really hope you enjoyed this! Wanted to toy more with the doppelgangers a little bit. Writing Savitar's entry scene in the third story right now and my goodness it's making me so excited for more of his scenes to come!

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

Til next time.

Heroherondale.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters/themes used from the hit TV series The Flash, all rights belong to the CW, Warner Bro's and their respectful owners. I only own my OC and creative genius.**


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